Silver and Crimson
by gaaras.sand.blackforest
Summary: In the past, when Cadis Etrama Di Raizel rushed to Muzaka, there was a decision made. This is an AU in which the choice made by the Noblesse at that time was the catalyst for everything that followed; so what if he had not made that decision? If his actions had been even slightly different, would he have been critically injured? Based off the movie about his past with Muzaka.
1. Silver and Crimson

Cadis Etrama Di Raizel staggered as he saw Muzaka cradling the dead girl. He did not know what to do, although he had rushed to them.

Muzaka looked up, and settling the body down, he rose. He was in a state of emotional duress, but he manifested it as rage. Which was to be expected, since he had raised a human child.

Cadis looked at them both, then over the human corpses around them. He needed to say something, before Muzaka's mind and heart shattered altogether.

And then a hand was placed on his shoulder, roughly, and Muzaka said words that the Noblesse did not know how to comprehend. Kill humans? Kill all the humans? How many hundreds, thousands, millions of lives what he talking about? Humans also lost children. From diseases, injuries, and murder. They saw them slaughtered for reasons that made no sense. But that was only to be expected, as humans were weak. Cadis did not know why they had to kill each other, but he did know that it was not his place as a superior species, to interfere with them.

Of course, if any human were to gain so much power they threatened the world itself or other species, that was an entirely other matter.

Muzaka had to have known what taking on a human girl would mean. She would eventually die. Humans could die just from tripping and falling on a tack. They could break their bones and die of some infection, too.

What did her death have to do with humans the world over?!

"Muzaka!" Cadis realized that in his moment's shock, Muzaka had headed toward the nearest human civilization. "Wait, you must remember…" He started out, but Muzaka lashed out at him, savagely, and he sailed under the force of gravity toward the mountain side, were he impacted on the face of the earth.

It hurt.

Muzaka landed on him, or very nearly. But, Cadis did not want to harm Muzaka. He wanted to save him from breaking any more than he already had. And he did not want to make the same choice again; he had done his duty once before and it had always tapped at his mind, that he had not listened enough. He had not paid close enough attention before. Muzaka was not a Noble. He was a Werewolf. But, Muzaka was also his dear friend. Just like, before, he had had a younger brother.

Whom he had killed.

"Muzaka!" Cadis managed to catch Muzaka's arm. "Please, listen to me!" He had never raised his voice before. He felt a little shattered as Muzaka ripped his sleeve off, and his clothing became filthy and shredded. But he did not allow that to stop him. "I am sorry about Ashlyn. Please, Muzaka, listen to my voice. If you can hear my voice, then please heed me. I will stand with you. For those who had harmed you and dared to raise a hand against your companion, I will offer my judgement. So, please do not harm the humans!"

Muzaka caught him by his upper arms, shaking him hysterically. "They murdered her!" He snarled. "First her mother, and now her, too! How much must they take away from me before it is enough?!" He gnashed his teeth, foaming at the mouth a little, and his claws had sunk deeply into Cadis's arms. "My child! My poor child…" His voice broke on a sob.

Reality fractured…and Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, felt extremely stupid. He had failed to understand such a simple truth. He knew he was lacking in many ways; he was terribly inadequate when it came to hearth and home. This was largely due to the fact that he was always alone. Only Muzaka and Frankenstein stayed with him. He liked being at home, and to him, the most beautiful moments, were the quiet and serene ones. This was why he had never thought about something complicated like love.

He did not know what it meant to be a lover.

Therefore, he did not have children, and could not know the loss of a child.

However, he did know the loss of a younger brother.

Wincing from the pain in his arms, as his precious blood flowed, he swallowed thickly. It came to him, as he looked at the blood flowing, that Muzaka was also an idiot. "Muzaka…" He said, softly. "…if that child is your daughter, there may be an opportunity to save her. I do not know if this can be done now or not. However, if it is possible, you must hurry to act now." He looked at his friend's face. "Ashlyn has your blood inside her. If she awakened, she would regenerate. I cannot image the daughter of a Werewolf Lord being so easily slain by an arrow."

Muzaka looked at him, staring a little. "Ashlyn." He moved back to the river side, where Ashlyn was laying. She was very pale, and her hair fluttered a little. She was limp and did not stir at all. "She is dead." Muzaka said, bowing his head.

Taking a deep breath, Cadis knelt beside Muzaka. Reaching out a shaking hand, he collected some of her blood; slowly, painfully slowly, he brought it to the edge of his lip. Where he traced his lip line with her blood. It left not a mark upon him, as he assimilated all of it. "Ashlyn…" He called to her, in the depths of her slumber, where her human half had undoubtedly died off. "…Ashlyn, open your eyes." There was a very faint ripple. Her consciousness responded, and he called out to her again. "Ashlyn, open your eyes." It was hard on him, he could almost not breathe himself, and he felt the blood run from his left ear as the strain on his body increased multifold for every second that passed. "Ashlyn! Open your eyes!"

The girl sucked in air, coughing up blood. Her eyes opened, and her hands went to her chest spasmodically. Of course, she passed out form the shock, but she was breathing and her body began to regenerate. Her hair, a tawny fawn colour, turned dull grey. She was no longer a human, now, but a werewolf, just like her sire.

Dizzy, Cadis wiped the blood from his nose as it ran over his upper lip. Muzaka was binding her chest in her shirt. So, because the poor thing was left mostly naked as a result, Cadis lifted his hand and clothes appeared around her. A simple, dark blue tunic. Something modest, and not strictly speaking Wolven in design, but it would serve her all the same.

For a moment, Cadis thought that was the end of their adventure. However, at that time, the encroaching army heading from one battle front to the next, came upon them. The men to have attacked Ashlyn, had been only the vanguard, and now the main bulk of the advance troops came bursting out of the forest.

Blinking red eyes at them, Cadis felt rather contemptuous. It was his duty as the Noblesse to protect humans. But, he could not help but despise them. They wore the same tunics as the dead men in the shallows, and more than likely, Ashlyn's would-be murdered was among their number.

Muzaka was undoubtedly thinking the same things. He stood up, turning to look at them, and his eyes were drawn down into slits. "You bastards." He muttered, his hair fluffing up and his hands twisting into claws.

"What the devil is the matter with you?!" The General demanded. "Are you with those other monsters? Hmpf. A little quick silver is all we need for the likes of you!" He lifted a crossbow, and the sunlight glinted on the ornate metal tip. "Go with God, beast."

Muzaka caught the arrow by the shaft, however, and looking at the fletching, he let out a howl. It was the same kind of arrow he had pulled out of his daughter's chest, just a half hour previously.

The slaughter of a hundred thousand men, started from there. It only took twenty minutes for Muzaka to have murdered every single one of them. The sun beat down on them mercilessly, and a steam rose from the corpses as that much blood created a filthy quagmire.

Cadis shivered as he stood there watching. Everything he had lived for. Everything he knew and valued and considered sacred, had been desecrated and stepped on. He did not know what to do next. He had not only used his powers to save a dying child, but he had not protected humans about to be killed by a werewolf. He had intentionally stood there, making himself see it through, because he could not deny that Muzaka was important to him.

After it was over, and the Werewolf Lord was satisfied – for the present – they regrouped in a nearby cave. Muzaka bathed himself before-hand, so that the smell of blood did not attract wild things. He also found some fruits, which he crushed between his hands, so that Ashlyn could drink their juice.

Still shaking, Cadis thought he now knew why the other nobles feared the werewolves. He did not have the staunch nerves everyone thought he did. To him, that had been extremely traumatizing and revolting. He wanted to bathe in rosewater and rest for a few thousand years just to recovered from the stench of the battlefield!

"Cadis…" Muzaka spoke up. "…thank you." He was looked at the small fire he had banked. "Thank you for standing with me."

Honest thanks was not going to right all wrongs, but it did salve his emotional wounds. Cadis smiled eversoslightly at the werewolf. "I am your friend." He said, simply. Blood ran over his lip again, and he hastily wiped it away with his fingers. "Forgive it. It is unattractive."

"Why are you bleeding like that? I…I hit you, but…you should heal faster than that. Even if not as fast as us." Muzaka lifted his hand, frowning.

Sighing a little, Cadis looked at Muzaka. "That is the way it is for me. Although it is unknown why, my body and my powers are not equal. My power is too great for my body to bear, and if I use it to any extent, then I will forfeit an equal measure of my life." He stated it like that, as that was the important part. "That is not for you to worry over, Muzaka. I have only considered it a little distressing; it is unattractive."

He hated being dirty and messy, and he was both, so he was struggling not to have a breakdown. At least he had been able to repair his clothing, although he could not help but get dirty when he was sitting on the dirt.

Muzaka stared at him, his silver eyes gleaming, but then he took a deep breath and put a hand to his forehead. "I will worry." He said, almost sharply. "That is my right as your friend."


	2. Following

The Lord was roused from a daydream by Frankenstein flinging the door open. The few Nobles ever loitering nearby, flattened themselves to the walls as he stalked passed them; a wreath of black tatters trailed behind him, as his aura manifested due to his intense anger. Gejutel rushed toward him, hoping to slow him down, but shocking even the Lord, Frankenstein's fist hit him right on the nose and he withered back with his eyes crossed.

"I'm not fucking around!" Frankenstein snapped, his eyes leaving purple traceries in the air. "Lord! As of noon this day, I have been unable to find or locate my Master, Cadis Etrama Di Raizel-nim."

Gaining his feet, the Lord moved down the steps from his throne. "Cadis Etrama Di Raizel-nim? I felt some minor explosion of powers some leagues from here, in the human countries. Yet, there was no report of it involving Nobles. Is there anything you may know? I will send someone to investigate."

The angry alchemist sneered at them. "Day before Yesterday, My Master received an important guest. Muzaka, the Werewolf Lord. He went for a walk with Muzaka and returned after nightfall in Muzaka's company. As you know, Master gets lost rather easily. Yet, despite this fact, not even a full half a day after he had returned, he left at a great speed. Abruptly, in the middle of our conversation." He lifted a hand. "Granted, he hardly ever actually says anything, but we do chat now and then."

Gejutel, having picked himself up off the floor, came around to stand nearby. "Frankenstein, speaking in such a disrespectful way…! Not only to the Lord, but about your Master, the Noblesse, is too much. Control your powers!"

"What, you don't like it?" Frankenstein demanded, gritting his teeth. "Right now, it is about all I can do to hold Dark Spear in check. Which I will do, for as long as I can. But you seem to have failed to understand why I'm here." He arched a golden eyebrow. "I am contracted with Cadis Etrama Di Raizel. Out of everyone in Lukedonia, I should be able to find him; but he has shut me out entirely and I cannot locate him. He moved at an intense speed, which was beyond my ability at present. There had to have been a reason."

The Lord frowned, looking at this man. "That is true. As his contracted, you should be able to follow him wherever, whenever. However, as the Noblesse, Cadis Etrama Di Raizel has amazing powers and may cloak himself even from you. It is possible he did this to protect you from harm." He lifted a hand. "We have only a little to go on. What were you talking about at the time he departed in such haste?"

"The human war." Frankenstein replied, looking down. "The Crusades are merciless. Fighting over whose version of a fake religion is correct! Well, it is what it is. There should be no cause for the wars of humans to trouble the Noblesse…" Frankenstein paused, thinking on this. "…on the other hand, if it is not a war of humans, but some Noble or power user were involved, then Master would make a move. That is…his duty, correct?"

"The Noblesse has the right to pass judgement over us." The Lord replied. "Should any Noble or power user transgress to the point that they must be annihilated. It is possible Muzaka is involved. The movements of the werewolves have troubled me for some time."

Nodding, Frankenstein turned and together with Gejutel and the Lord, they moved toward the distant lands, where they could see the signs of a battle between powers. Indeed, it was brutal. Half a mountain was battered it, as if some massive fist had pock-marked on the surface of the earth.

Nearby, carrion birds were delighting themselves with a field of the dead. Frankenstein had seen it many times, and did not flinch, but Gejutel put a handkerchief to his nose as if highly offended by the stench. The Lord was looking at it all, with a sad expression. "These humans were killed by someone with much power. They were utterly unable to defend themselves…"

"It is normally like that." Frankenstein replied, walking into the quagmire. Dark Spear sucked up the blood, so that none at all ended up on his feet or clothes. At least, not yet. "However, this does not look like a Noble's handy work. These are four clawed slashes. So, a Werewolf after all, and a very powerful one…or more than one. Wolves do hunt in packs, I should say."

The Lord nodded. "I sense that Cadis Etrama Di Raizel was here. There is some lingering sense of him. If he saw this, it would have upset him, I am sure."

Frankenstein clenched his hands. "If only he would answer me…" He shut his eyes, feeling that they had nothing to go by. He had not earned his Master's trust, in that case, and he could only assume that it was due to his incompetence, that The Noblesse had shut him out.

A soft noise drew his attention, and he turned to pounce on a nearby form. Catching a human, Frankenstein squatted down to be on an eye level with the half grown male. "Calm down. We will not harm you arbitrarily. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

He huddled up, his back to a tree, looking at them. "My Lord…" He said, assuming them to be human lords of great wealth, given how they were dressed. "…Eves. I'm Eves. I don't got a family name."

"Child, do you know what happened here?" The Lord asked, drawing his hood down so that the human could see that at least he had a head. "It is all right for you to tell me everything."

He blushed a little, but then he looked to the side. "The army was coming and lots and lots of people were running away. The city away from here, on the other side of the mountains, was all ruined and laid waste. Most died, but few ran away; they said monsters attacked them and pulled down the very walls with their hands. They were big and powerful. Everyone thought that they would surely come to our city, so we gathered all the women and children into caravans and went out into the forests to hide. Yesterday, when the sun had peaked and a little after, there was a loud noise and we all saw a bright light. We had heard that the army was coming, so we sent people to see what had happened; but all the knights were already slain. And there was a grey monster…he was very big, with claws, who was killing them. The other monster did not move though, but just watched, and then they both went away without coming after those who were watching from the trees!"

"'Other monster'?" The Lord asked, softly. "Fair of face, with red eyes like ours?"

"Um, well, I do not know what he looked like. I did not seem them. I only came because I was chosen to see what was happening now." He smiled, being a simple sort and not versed in such matters. "The scouts said that there were two, but not alike, and only the grey one was killing the knights. We would have thanked him, even though he is a monster, because we were able to return to our city!"

Frankenstein frowned, looking over at the destruction. It made no sense, but if the 'grey one' was Muzaka, then the 'other one' was likely Cadis Etrama Di Raizel. But for the Noblesse to just stand there watching while humans were slaughtered, even by a werewolf, made no sense!

Letting the human go, as he was of no further use to them, Frankenstein thought about going to the nearby city…but that was unnecessary. Instead, there were only so many things that a Werewolf Lord and the Noblesse would think about after battling a hundred thousand knights.

"He would want to get clean." Frankenstein said, looking around. "There is a river near here. Let us see what is there."

The Lord nodded, moving with him to the river, where they found a handful of other knights rotting in the shallows. They had been killed not by a werewolf's claws, but by a badly wielded spear. Unphased by the state of the corpses, Frankenstein examined the wounds, trying to reconstruct the battle.

"Whoever killed these men was shorter than they by some inches. They were unused to handling weapons, either. So, a woman or a child." Frankenstein looked up. "But they were lucky and hit vital points when they did strike. The spear that killed them, was likely not a war-weapon, though, but something crafted from deadfall. It left splinters and likely broke…then…" He gestured to the tracks of hooves. "…this person got on a horse and made for the tree line, following the water. At that point, it seems the horse lost momentum and veered around…"

"What does that tell us?" Gejutel asked, frowning at the scene. "Aside from that these humans were dishonourable enough to engage a defenceless person in combat."

"A woman or a child? That's is murder or rape at the least." Frankenstein snapped. "Nobles do not tend to think about rape, no. But it is a common form of amusement on the battle field. Because women and children can be sold for coinage to fund the next war." He frowned at the forest around them. "As for what it tells me, it is likely that after killing these wear foot soldiers, the target of the vanguard tried to flee. And someone else…on another horse…targeted them. More than like with a spear or arrow...no, definitely an arrow. A spear could have been heavy enough to rend a child in two." He looked around again, then sniffed. "So that battle ended with the woman or child's death, in that case. We can surmise that this was witnessed by Muzaka and my Master, and then, for some reason, Muzaka attacked the army…" He looked toward the battlefield only a little distance from them. "…but why Master did not interfere, and why Muzaka would react that way, I cannot imagine."

Gejutel nodded. "Indeed, it is very alarming."

The Lord put a hand to his chin, looking around. "But where is that child?" He asked, as if troubled by it. "If the child died, then it should be here. Unless they have taken it away to bury it in some other place. As far as I know, Werewolves create pryers and burn their dead, so that no corpses remain for humans to discover."

"Werewolves have recently been infiltrating human cities." Frankenstein put in. "Just like some nobles for contracts with humans and create those vampires and undead, the werewolves also cause some mischief. In this case, however, they typically only create havoc because of their insane strength and tempers, but occasionally the bed women, too." He put a hand to his chin as well, starting to put the pieces together. "Is it not very probably, in that case, that this woman or child belongs to Muzaka? If his mate was attacked by men right in front of him, he would hardly fail to slaughter every single one of them."

The Lord gapped at him, then looked down. "That would be likely true for myself as well." He said, softly. "Gejutel, do not comment on that. But I am more concerned with Cadis Etrama Di Raizel at this time. It must have come as a great shock for him."


	3. Gathering

Cadis looked up as he awoke in the cavern. He was laying on his back, and his upper clothes had been removed. Indeed, he had been washed with river water and was laying on massive leaves to cushion him from the dirt floor. Nearby, Ashlyn was laying on a similar bed, her hands clasped over her bandaged chest.

Feeling a little weak, Cadis slowly sat up. As he picked up the shirt that was folded beside him, he drew it on with shaking fingers. He could not fully rest unless he was in his sanctum, in his shrine. But, for a few hours, he could sleep much the way that humans did. Although, it tended to be dreamless. Frankenstein called it 'suspended animation', which he found rather amusing.

Such a fancy name, just for sleeping.

Muzaka was at a pond near the cave. They had selected the cave as it had been close by; only a few leagues from the battle field. There had also been this source of clean, fresh water, and the Werewolf was stripped down and playing in the water. Not to fish, but just because he seemed to enjoy it immensely.

He turned, offering up a grin. "Raizel! It is very pleasant; will you not join me?!"

Not certain how to respond to that, Cadis moved to a rock at the bank and seated himself. He took off his shoes and let his feet dangle into the water. It was tepid, so it did not shock him, and the feeling of it soaking his pale feet was rather nice. "Muzaka, I must return soon. Frankenstein is looking for me. I felt him calling out to me telepathically."

"That man." Muzaka thought about this, then sighed. "I don't even have anywhere to go now, though." He muttered, splashing his reflection, so that the ripples obscured it. "I guess I'm a stray now."

"You are Muzaka, the Werewolf Lord. That will not change." Cadis replied, smiling at him. "My house is open to you, and your child, for as long as you wish to stay. At least, until this matter is concluded. It is unlikely that those humans would have been able to target Ashlyn, in the middle of their war, without knowing who she is."

"What do you mean?!" Muzaka looked up sharply.

"Do you not recall what happened? Those others of your kind came for you. I interfered with them, and they retreated." Cadis frowned as Muzaka came up to him, almost menacingly. "It is what I believed from the beginning, Muzaka. It is likely that you have been betrayed."

The Werewolf looked very hurt. "My family betrayed me." He said, softly. "It has never happened like this before. I do not know what to do. But until Ashlyn is fully recovered, staying in your house does not sound so bad. I can bathe a lot there, too." He smiled, looking over the pond. "Although, I suppose Frankenstein will keep calling me 'Master Muzaka'." He shuddered. "It feels a little like the title of one of those male prostitutes in Rome."

Cadis offered a very small smile, although he had no idea what Muzaka was talking about. "I will inform him it displeases you." He made to get up, and had gained his full height, when the moss under him gave and he slipped against the stones. He normally would have been able to correct this imbalance, but in his current weakened state, he was unable to react quite fast enough.

He fell into the pond.

Muzaka stare at him, having been splash all over with water, and this dripped from the curls of his grey hair. "Ah…well, that's one way to get you to swim." He muttered, starting to chuckle. "Come here, I'll wash your hair for you. I found some soapwart."

Uneasy, embarrassed, Cadis turned so that Muzaka could put the foaming herb onto his black hair. His hair curled when it got wet, which he did not know if it was considered attractive or not. Most of the Nobles had sleek hair, without a curl to it. It made him a little self-conscious. Of course, his clothes were now soaked through, and he felt a little grumpy that yet another set of his clothes had been disarranged.

"Your hair is so black." Muzaka muttered, absently. "It's shiny, too. And you have very pale skin. Well, you hardly ever go out in the sun, so it would be. Even for a Boble, you're lily white." He seemed happy to be doing these things, though.

"You are very comely yourself." Cadis replied, as he thought he was supposed to respond in like. He did not really mind this, although it was not terribly seemly. On the other hand, they did not have an audience, aside from the trees and the eternal sky. Turning to look at Muzaka, as the werewolf rinsed off his hands from the soap, Cadis secretly admired his build.

Muzaka turned, not noticing his glance over, and took a deep breath. He hoisted himself out of the point, his bare feet more stable on the ground, and offered a hand for Cadis to come out.

Using just a little of his power to dry his clothes, while Muzaka pulled his on at a distance, Cadis put a hand to his mouth. There was just a little bit of an ache there. He could not imagine why such a thing was happening to him, and he felt the prickle of Frankenstein's telepathic call…from much closer than the manor.

Looking toward where the call was coming from, Cadis sent out a signal in response. It was better to meet Frankenstein without the other Nobles around. Muzaka did not need to be mobbed right away. But, to his dismay, the Lord was with Frankenstein, and Gejutel was following them. This was a very bizarre trio, in his opinion, as their personalities were so at odds with each other.

"Frankenstein." He said, as the blond man rushed over to him. Letting him fuss a little, Cadis felt that this man was a very good human. He was a person after all. Even if he did have some bitter things in his past, and even if his abilities were not those of a human, he tried his best to lead a good life. Cadis could not ask for anything more. "I am fine now."

"Cadis Etrama Di Raizel." The Lord said, softly. "There is some cause for everything that has happened, I know. Yet, it is a very grave matter. For you to have rushed off…this has never happened before." He turned as Muzaka appeared, fully clothed, his brows lowering. "Muzaka."

"Oh, it's you." Muzaka muttered, looking away. "Well? You going to pass some kind of Judgement on me?" He was defensive and he did not look happy. Indeed, he was ready to take on even the Lord, his equal, if he had to. That was the way of his kind, and right now, he was even more bitter and troubled, which made him quite to temper.

Gejutel frowned at him, looking shocked to an extreme. "Lord Muzaka! There is no cause for you to speak so rudely to The Lord. We came only to verify Sir Raizel's safety and what had caused him to rush out. Yet, we know you killed many humans, and this is a matter than must be explained…!"

Frankenstein flinched, shooting Gejutel a nasty look. "Perhaps we could postpone that conversation to another time." He offered, drawing his hands together. "If there was a reason for the Lord of Werewolves to act personally, then it is a very serious matter, after all."

Cadis thought that, as each person finished speaking, he could jump in. To concisely explain what had happened. But, with Gejutel continuing to stubbornly demand a reason and Muzaka getting further riled up and Frankenstein starting to lose his temper, and the Lord just not saying anything, Cadis despaired of ever being able to get a word in edgewise.

Looking up at the sky for a moment, Cadis recalled the horror and stench of the battle field, of the feeling of revulsion and terror even he had felt in his soul, and he scowled. His aura gathered around him, causing Frankenstein to take note of him and move to his side. No matter what he did, Frankenstein would side with him and support him. Even if he killed other nobles, or humans, this man had found solace in not being alone; a 'master' was not the same as a 'friend', and Cadis knew that Frankenstein wanted someone to look up to. To be stronger than himself. And, at the same time, to take care of and support.

Turning to the others, giving them a stern look, Cadis let his brows pinch eversoslightly. "Gejutel, you are rude." Cadis stated. "Not only in the presence of the Lord, but before the Lord of Werewolves as well. This is a time of emergency. You will not repeat these words again."

Perhaps out of shock, Gejutel just stood there. But then he slowly bowed, as he had to. Out of fear. In his case, he did respect the Noblesse. But, in the end, it had not been his own better judgement, but the judgement of someone stronger than him.

Feeling very lonely, Cadis sighed. "Lord, forgive my impertinence." He turned to the Lord. "However, is it necessary to carry on in this way?"

The Lord took a deep breath, his expression rather unreadable to Cadis. "For Raizel-nim to say such things, there is a very dire reason." He said, his red eyes glinting. "Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, speak. What is it that has transpired, to make you act in this way, and say these things?"

Swallowing, Cadis blinked tiredly at them. His aura retracted, and he turned just a little. "I will speak." He said, softly. "It is because they targeted Muzaka…" He looked over at Muzaka, who with a sigh, nodded once. "…and his child."

"What?!" The Lord blanched. "Then the battle at the river bank? I see. We thought that perhaps there was a reason, but that is a greater bond that I had anticipated. Naturally, any father would protect their child. But, what became of this one?" He turned to Muzaka. "I also have a child. Therefore, I can imagine the pain and suffering at seeing a child harmed. If there is any way in which we can assist you in this time of need, it will be made so."

Muzaka sighed again, running a hand back over his mane. He looked very depressed. "Seems I've been run off, though. Actually…Cadis said I could stay at his house, but…" He was uneasy about exposing his daughter to a bunch of Nobles. "…and that does appeal to me. In the end, the only thing I can do is rely upon Raizel-nim, which is a burden to me. Heh, I'm not even able to hold my head up. Although I did slaughter those knights, they were only humans and weak; it is likely that there are others, behind the scenes, whom I will undoubtedly murder in the near future. On the other hand, I guess it's not so bad. Seems like the city near here survived." He shrugged, not seeming all that upset about killing a hundred thousand men.

There was a tense silence. The Lord was frowning, as if he did not quite understand Muzaka. He turned his eyes toward the distant city, as if thinking about this. "I did not think that Muzaka was that involved in the lives of humans." He commented, softly. "Humans wars do not touch us nearly as much as your family, so perhaps I am out of touch with the times. But, Muzaka, I do not think it is fair to speak flippantly on such deeds." His expression was sad.

The Werewolf hooked his hands on his hips. "I've been in every country on this earth. I've walked in sands up to my knees. I've seen every ocean and spoken every tongue of mankind. However, even after all this time, I would never say that humans are 'good'. They are a force that is rather like water. It gets dirty very easily. If they can even reason at all, they come up with dangerous ideas." He shut his eyes, speaking rather sage words. "On the other hand, I cannot claim that Nobles, or Werewolves, or the Dragon Kings or the Fae are any better or worse. I think the big difference, is that humans don't know the difference."

Frankenstein shifted. "Can you rephrase that?" He asked. "I also have great power, but I am a human."

Nodding, Muzak shrugged again. "But you have power that is beyond that of humans, Frankenstein. While your species didn't change, you were never a normal human. That's obvious by how intelligent you are. Way beyond the average man. In my experience, most humans really don't understand how much damage they do. Like wars; they only think about how it affects themselves. If I killed that army, that's only because they harmed my child. Think about it more like a hurricane; it affects everything, not just this or that race. War is the same. It tears families apart, it spreads diseases, it causes famine, causes fires. It lands whole swathes of land barren. Sometimes, things never grow back." He lifted a hand. "It might sound flippant to you Nobles, because you're really reserved, but a hundred thousand knights died. A lot of humans. But compared to the women and children in the city, it doesn't actually bother me."

Frankenstein swallowed, lowering his eyes. He had a small smile on his lips, and he folded his arms. It seemed that he had accepted and even liked what the werewolf had just said. It was clear that, as someone who had also travelled a lot, Frankenstein had seen a lot more than even more Nobles did. For as long lived as the Noble race was, they did not travel much, and only if there was some reason.

"Frankenstein." Cadis said, turning to him. "You will take a look at that child. She is injured to the chest and has yet to remain conscious for any length of time. At the manor, you have made yourself a room in which you concoct things."

Frankenstein looked a bit startled, but then nodded. "Yes, I am a doctor after all. Although a werewolf would normally not need any help, there are a few cases, I believe. If they are very young or if there is silver in the wound." He turned to Muzaka. "If I can help, I will of course offer my skills."


	4. Her Doctor

The manor was empty, as always. Frankenstein had poured his blood and sweat into keeping the lived-in portion clean. He had also taken three adjoining rooms, at the opposite end from his Master's living quarters, and turned them into a laboratory. He mostly focused on the flora and fauna of Lukedonia, and how it had evolved differently from the rest of the world; being closed off and not exposed to humans interference, there were some varieties of plants that he could utilize more efficiently to make medicines…as well as whole new species he could investigate to his heart's content.

He did not experiment on people, any longer.

Therefore, the rooms were not strictly speaking set up to treat patients. He instead had Muzaka place the girl in a bedroom, while he hastily asked Gejutel to condescend to starting a fire in the hearth. At least the chimney was sound and he had made sure it would work properly. There were some parts of the manor that were in a rather deplorable state, but he tried to keep up on any major repairs. He slipped into his nearby office, and came back wearing a robe over his clothes, had his hair tied back properly and covered, and was wheeling in a cart of various supplies.

Most of which were for him, and not for the patient. He mixed equal parts alcohol and distilled water in a basin, scrubbing his hands to sanitize them, before he moved anywhere near an injured person. He also stated plainly that, aside from Muzaka, anyone else approaching an injury should always think about protecting the wound from contaminants.

Loosening the tunic, which he suspected his Master had created from power, Frankenstein looked at the rough bandaging. Aside from maybe rinsing the wound, it was clear that Muzaka had done nothing at all. Undoing this binding, carefully pulling it away, Frankenstein noted that this girl breathing steadily, and did not wake up at all, despite being undressed. Frowning, gently probing the wound, the doctor felt and her ribs and breastbone. "Hmm, she was hit with an arrow, correct? Ah, I saw the battlefield and assumed it was like that. And then…" He looked up, his eyes fixing on Muzaka. "…you pulled the arrow out?"

Muzaka nodded. "I did!" He said, softly. "Ashlyn…" He looked at her, worrying about her, and it was clearly he struggled for some moments. Finally, with a sigh, he gritted his teeth. "…is half human. I thought she was human, though. But, that may only be because she is still so young. As of now, she is only twelve years of age."

"Does she bleed?" Frankenstein asked, looking back at her. "It is important to know if she does, because that means she will lose nutrients faster."

Muzaka shifted. "She didn't say so. I doubt it."

"Well, she's right around the age a human female would start. It can be later, though." Frankenstein pulled over a chair, thinking about the wound. "This is going to be hard on you, Muzaka, but I am going to have to open up this wound. Because, I believe there is something inside her body, which is preventing her from healing. Although your race does heal almost instantly, she is very small and if there is some metal in the wound…then that will slow down and can even stop regeneration altogether." He looked over. "Regeneration is, after all, the regrowth of cells from the atomic level. Your body, when cut open, will seal the cut seamlessly; the cells bond together as if no damage was sustained. If an arm is hacked off, your body will regrow the arm, starting from the bone, and then the muscles, tissues, veins, and external epidermis."

Muzaka swallowed, and he easily understood what Frankenstein was driving at. "Her wound started to heal, but she kept on bleeding. You think some small piece of the arrow is inside her body, and that it is injuring her over and over?" His hands clenched. "Normally, if something is broken off inside my body, such as during combat, it is evicted first. My body pushes out all things alike…"

"Ho? I would very much like the see that someday." Frankenstein smiled at him. "Ah, for research purposes, of course! Km. But, this does not have to be a solid piece of matter. Like a splinter. That would be ideal, because I could just pluck it out and she would then heal. But, if a liquid form of metal had been applied, then particles of metal…too small to see with the eyes ordinarily…embed themselves into the pockets of the tissues. They are sharp, and cut where they embed. They also leach into the body. In humans, it is debilitating and death occurs in a matter of hours or days. But, in werewolves, from what I have observed, it can be treated…if not terribly politely."

Turning to the wound, Frankenstein selected a scalpel and sliced open the entire area, making a much bigger wound than the one made by the arrow. Blood rushed up and the skin struggled to heal, but he applied clamps to the edges, to hold the wound open.

It was clearly hard for Muzaka to see this, and he clenched and unclenched his hands, his teeth gritted.

Lowering a lens over his eyes, Frankenstein bent to look into the wound. Her collarbone was not broken, and her lung had not been clipped. Her heart, thankfully, was also intact. However, the flesh was not repairing itself round the path the arrow had taken.

"Brace yourself." Frankenstein said, although he did not look at Muzaka. Quickly, with an expert flex of his long fingers, the doctor excised a good portion of flesh. Setting this aside in a metal basin, he turned back to the wound. Bright pink tissue was already growing over where he had excised from, and he smile. "That's it, Ashlyn!" He encouraged the girl. "You're doing great." Again, he sliced off some of the inner tissue, working around her heart and bones, until all the discoloured flesh was in the basin, and not in her body.

Letting out a sigh, he turned his bloody hands to the alcohol mixture and scrubbed them clean. To make sure that no particles of metal on his hands would go back into the wound as he closed it. He did not need to stitch it, but instead, using plaster strips to hold the upper layer together. The clamps he discarded, to be sanitized later on.

"Next comes the more 'delicate' part." Frankenstein looked at Muzaka. "You are this child's biological father? Then, in that case, you should be able to give her blood. No, not by biting, either." He picked up a glass bottle, with a hose at the opening, which ended in a needle. "It's only a pin-prick, so I'm sure you can put up with it. But, is her mother is not available, then you are the only one who can exchange blood with her."

"Exchange blood?" Muzaka looked uneasy. "Why? Won't her blood regrow?"

"Because she's half human, and also, because she's only twelve years old. You, who are several thousand years old, have time to your advantage." Frankenstein replied. "Although she is regenerating, it is only around ten percent of what you would be able to do. If it had been her neck and not her chest, she would not have survived. In fact," He looked at the girl. "I am not at all clear on why she is alive right now. Aside from her being half werewolf, and even then, as you can see, the tissues were dead to begin with."

The metal basin, where the excised flesh was laying, was not a nice thing to see. The flesh was darkened, almost black in places, and it had a rancid smell to it.

Muzaka seated himself, sweat on his brow. He seemed to find the concept of exchanging blood more anxiety provoking that it needed to be. But, he tolerated the actual procedure very well, and it was over before he even realized it. Inverting the glass bottle, Frankenstein adjusted the much thinner hose he had hooked up to the opening, and allowed the blood to flow into the girl's body.

After a few seconds, her pallid cheeks flushed and she took a fuller breath. She even stirred and opened her eyes. Disorientation was normal, but she smiled when Muzaka spoke to her. She seemed to be content with that, and just held his hand until the transfusion was over.

After cleaning up his equipment, Frankenstein leaned heavily on the wall down form the room. Again, even with non-humans, it had been successful! For him, it was further proof that he was right. He had lost so many patients from blood loss. Stupid accidents, the time it took to get to anyone even remotely skilled at medicine. Outside of Salerno, there were not even any people asking if it could be done, let alone how to do it. He had been resident at the _Schola Medica Salernitana_ for some time, but, elsewhere, it was treated as if medical treatment were bizarre and otherworldly.

And, because of the church spouting a bunch of disgusting nonsense, it was actually illegal to cut the body in most of the western world!

They had even likened him to the Devil, not because of Dark Spear, but because he had hacked open a man's body and cured him of an otherwise fatal condition. Ridiculous stories about old men summoning up demons; and what the hell was a demon, anyway? Some intermediary spirit? No one who was in pain, who was sick and scared of the crumbling in their own bodies, wanted to hear that! He, who was no longer mortal, was just supposed to sit there and watch people die? Then what the hell was the point of tending to the sick? It was faster to just put them down. But, that was also against 'God's will'.

Frankenstein had turned his back on any such ridiculous cult fixation with a non-reciprocal God, when he had been only thirteen years old. His mentor had suggested that, as they had that inevitable philosophical discussion on the origins of life and death, he got an take a look at what was happening in the square. Germany, where he had been born and raised all those thirteen years, had never struck him as a remarkably intolerable place; he had never feared to walk the streets in any town, no matter how dark or filthy, because he had been a wealthy young man. Healthy. Intelligent. Capable of acting in his own defence. And, he had watched, horror-struck, from the audience, as the priests lead some woman to the Stackle.

A large brick platform, with a wooden post in the centre. Kindling in bundles. The cloying sent of oil. And a woman, wearing a torn and blood stained dress, half mad from confinement and interrogation, whose only crime had been making medicine for her sick mother.

Those who had not watched, who had looked away, had been cursed at and considered abnormal.

Those who had cheered and celebrated her bashing her brains out against the post, had been considered normal.

Frankenstein had cut all ties with the church and the main bulk of humans, devoting himself to the consumption of books, and he had been lucky enough to find a few hidden treasures. His mentor had sent him off to school, and he had devoted himself to medicine and researching all methods of prolonging the lives of humans. Starting with animals, and then with humans bound to die anyway. He had cut them open, investigating every last fibre. When he had come across the Nobles for the first time, his curiosity had been piqued…some ageless race of sentient people?

Only to be utterly crushed and betrayed when they had offered no aid.

A presence came to be near him, and he thought for a moment it was his Master, but when he turned, he saw that it was the Lord. Turning to look at him, Frankenstein wondered absently how many thousands of years this man had lived; it seemed remarkable, when he did not look passed eighteen or so. Compared to humans, who barely lived passed fifty or sixty years of age, he was altogether too perfect. Could this man, for he was a man, really understand even one millionth of the emotions of a human?

The Lord smiled, a quiet, knowing little smile. "Well, at the very least, I offer you my respects." He said, as if he knew everything that had been thought about him. Although he did have his moments of pure idiocy, he was the Lord, after all. "Do you regret coming to Lukedonia?"

"No. I do not." Frankenstein replied. With conviction. "You know, I don't blame nobles for not interfering with humans. It was disappointing. But, it was that you said both 'stay' and 'go' at the same time." He turned, looking at his hands. "I've killed hundreds of people. I've also saves hundreds of people. That's my worth, if you really want me to sum it up. What I 'give back'. _So much has been done, my soul exclaimed; more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation._ " Chuckling, he shook his head. "Well, that was several decades ago, but I meant it."

"Frankenstein, your skills are really very amazing." The Lord replied, moving to stand beside him; he looked out the tiny mullioned window, which was at the end of the hall, perhaps four feet from him. "Perhaps it would be wise for you to compile this knowledge. Time, it passes. It is always moving. Although at this time, you can only live here, in the future there may come a time when this knowledge it needed by many humans. And you, also, are a human being. Well, I just thought it was something you might find amusing. Oh, and if you ever want my blood…just let me know." He laughed, as if it was just another one of his jokes, but he was so dead serious that it cast a heavy tension on the air around him.

Taking a deep breath, hooking his hands up behind him, Frankenstein smiled. "Illumination?" He chuckled, turning away from the Lord, as he now needed to go and wait upon his master. "Well, that is true. I am human. And humans are unfashioned creatures, but half made up, if one wiser, better, dearer than ourselves – such a friend ought to be – do not lend his aid to perfectionate our weak and faulty natures."


	5. Entwining

Muzaka was actually sleeping. Not any differently from anyone else, naturally. He was laying at ease on the settee, not having removed his boots properly, and was half-hugging a pillow. Before him, the hearth was burning some cedar logs, sending out their rich scent into the room. The snapping of the little bits of wood, and the hiss of the sap as it boiled, gave the fire a somewhat sinister mood…but the dancing flames were pretty.

At the window, it was chilly. The outside air seeped in somehow or other, and there was a feeling of contrast. The warmth from the area Muzaka had claimed, and the cold of the window area where he stood. Cadis was uncertain if he could approach the settee, although he could not think of why someone who is already sleeping could object.

Feeling old and exhausted, Cadis shut his eyes. The trees had grown another few feet, and he was not any different. The natural world was amazing; it was always changing its shape. He would have liked to have been a tree, he thought absently, but this thought-train lost momentum and crashed as the door opened.

Frankenstein came in, with tea for him. He was being moderately quiet because he knew Muzaka was sleeping. In the two nights since their arrival, both Muzaka and Ashlyn had slept badly. Now that Ashlyn was up to eating, Muzaka had finally left her side; but he was too aware of being in someone else's house, so it was hard for him to fully relax.

Breathing in the scent of the tea, Cadis smiled. He was aware that Frankenstein felt he was inadequate. That was how this man interpreted being unable to find his master promptly. But, in reality, it was not like that. "Frankenstein." Cadis said, speaking carefully around his pronounced teeth. "It would seem that I may need to take a rest."

A slight clatter of china. "Master?" Frankenstein asked, softly. "The Lord said there was a collision of powers, so I can understand your words. But is it in no way fixable?"

"Fixable?" Cadis turned, frowning. "Is this a word the humans have created to mean something?"

"It means to 'repair' or 'fix'. Fix as in 'adhere' and 'repair'. For instance, we would 'fix' a broken tree by wrapping up the broken limb. The same can be done with humans." Frankenstein calmly explained his vernacular. "I meant that, is there a way in which you might come to feel stronger?"

"I see." Turning back to the window, Cadis thought about that. The very plainest answer to that, was that he would sleep for some length of time, so that he felt better. However, if he wanted to avoid a long slumber, then…there were some methods. None very nice. All rather unhappy. His brows pinched. For a moment, he felt a little unstable. It had never been such a strong impulse before, and he did not like it. "Frankenstein…one more sugar."

He wanted to taste something sweet.

Frankenstein was not a fool, but he did not question it or argue and added another cube of white crystal. The sugar that had been so sought out by humans; they did have it. Although Lukedonia was sealed off, it was not like it was another world. They had plants and such, and all the comforts of the hearth and home were to be found there. He loved the balmy weather in the summer; they did get some snow now and then, but it had been a long time since any had piled up on the ground. He wondered if he would ever get to see it snow again, and this made him think about Muzaka again.

Muzaka had seen the highest north, where there was always snow.

He had seen the very farthest south, where there was nothing but sand.

Cadis looked at his window. This was where he was the most comfortable, but it was no longer enough. He felt like he was going to go crazy soon. Even though he knew nothing would change. Turning away, he moved and seated himself, so that he could drink the tea that Frankenstein had made for him. It tasted…quite bad. It was gritty, too, from the sugar. He had mutilated the flavour so badly, it could no longer be considered tea. Yet, he drank it. Offending his own palate, which was very delicate, with this brutally sweat liquid.

Setting his cup down on the saucer, Cadis observed Frankenstein. He was 'loitering', rather than 'waiting upon'. Well, he was a sensitive person. It only made sense that he would be worried to some extent. "Come with me." Cadis abruptly said, causing Frankenstein to look at him. "Tomorrow, I will speak with the Lord. For this, I think you should be present."

"Why?" Frankenstein asked. "I will most certainly go! Of course. But it is odd that you should ask me."

"Because you are human," Cadis replied, openly. "The Lord knows this, too." Uncomfortable, thinking his stomach did not like that much sugar, Cadis sighed just a little. "You must have patience, and try to be polite."

"I will try my best." Frankenstein replied, with a bow.

Although the Lord was normally regarded as the highest authority, the only one to be genuinely feared among the Nobles, by the Nobles themselves, was the Noblesse. This was largely due to the fact that his power was godly, and should he believe it within his judgement, he could annihilate any noble who transgressed. Nobles did not leave bodies behind them. They disintegrated. Dispersed. Disappeared.

It was not a little frightening.

Were Nobles now wrought from matter? Were they not made of clay? What was the container of their power and spirit made of, that it did not return to the earth?

This was the dilemma that had caused some Nobles to fall into doubt. To doubt their laws and their Lord. However, they could not question the Lord. First, because he was the Lord. There was no questioning the highest power on earth. Second, because there existed the Noblesse. Whether right or wrong, whether fact or speculation, whether with regret or justification, he held ultimate control over their existences. Existences they already felt uneasy about.

Then, there were the humans.

The humans multiplied endlessly. They waged wars, endlessly. There was no stopping them. Like cockroaches, they bred x-potentially and left nothing much but havoc and rotting corpses behind them. They were weak, so it was not much of a problem for the Nobles.

Yet humans had one thing that the Nobles did not. Without power, without knowledge, without beauty or grace, they still had a well-spring with in them, and that was their adaptation. They could adapt to any and all changes. Sometimes as swiftly as instantly leaving their abodes and travelling to some new land. They could cast off their names and their ideals. This adaptation was inspiring and fearsome for a species that, individually, only lived little more than half a century.

Then, there were the Werewolves.

The Werewolves were so powerful. They could be injured to the point of ruining their bodies, and they would regenerate and keep on fighting. They had to feel some pain, but their minds did not break. They could endlessly fight and survive. As if their species was built for no other reason but to instil terror.

The Nobles lived long lives. Without ageing. Without losing their reason. Most stayed at home, just improving themselves in their own way. They had various hobbies. It was not like they needed to interact with Humans or Werewolves. Only very rarely were there any interactions between the races. For thousands of years, they had existed, but they were not all that different. Just that, when they thought about their existence, and the existence of these other races, they had to compare them to each other. The Nobles with their grace, the Humans with their adaption, and the Werewolves with their strength.

Then, there was Frankenstein.

What the hell was he?! How the hell had he come about?! He was…a human. But he was not a human. He was a power-user. But he was not a Noble or a Werewolf. He was the one the humans feared and despised. The Werewolves did not seem to give a shit about him. And the Nobles…expected him to be imprisoned by the Lord. He was not. They expected him to be annihilated by the Noblesse. He was not. In the end, he took up residence in the Noblesse's house. He lived there!

He entered a contract with the Noblesse!

This human, this non-human human, had made a contract with the only being they feared. It was an insult. They controlled their curiosity, because of the Lord. They controlled their terror, because of the Noblesse. They did sometimes interact with humans, but they hid this and tried to make up for it. So as not to anger the only being that held their lives in the balance.

Once they were annihilated, they would cease to exist!

The preoccupation of self-preservation was new to the Nobles. Because, for the older generation, they knew first-hand what the Noblesse could do to them. If he could do it to his own brother, he could do it to anyone. For any reason.

But he had not annihilated Frankenstein.

Then, in that case, why did they need him? If he could just disappear, then they would no longer agonise over his existence. Him, and the Lord, and the Werewolves and the Humans! If, in any way, the tension could break, then they would be able to live freely and at peace. Some would ultimately fall to evil ways, some would ultimately disappear in the scope of eternity. That was natural and none of the Nobles really thought about that as a terrible thing. If they fell into Eternal Sleep, then that was fine; they were even a little curious about what came after that.

Annihilation was an entirely different phenomenon.

The Noblesse was friends with the Werewolf Lord. He was not precisely 'friends' with the Lord, though, but they were naturally drawn together. Killing off the Noblesse had never before been conceived of, because he was regarded as something sacred and superior. That his worth was greater than theirs. Just by existing and bearing that all-powerful title, he was supposed to be revered and respected. But, it did beg the question of what made him better than them? Why did he deserve their respect? Respect had to be earned, and he had done nothing to inspire them; only living like a doll shut up in a doll house. A nonreciprocal god, after all.

It was essential. It was to their benefit. Without morality or codes or ethics getting in the way. Only for their own sake. Another new concept to the Nobles. Selfishness. Cunning. Spite. Deception. They had learned to be greedy. To be egotistical. Because, they were aware that they, too, could be murdered.

Evil was, ultimately, a point of view.

Just like God.

Therefore, they did not need a Noblesse. They did not want a Lord. And that was why they plotted. It was always all for their own sake…


	6. Agvain

Urokai Agvain stood at the window of his bedroom, looking over the lawn of his estate, trying to mimic the Noblesse. He was not good at it. That was not his style. But, he also felt rather more comfortable at home, than he had expected. Since he had fallen in with Ragus and the others, he had come to be more active; always coming and going. Well, but he was a traitor now, and he knew that. They had plotted to kill the Noblesse, Cadis Etrama Di Raizel. Urokai had always, always admired the Noblesse; he would have given up his life to protect that one lonely being, whose grace and elegance was unlike any other.

But, he had chosen a human companion. Not just some lowly human to be his servant, either, but one with power! Urokai clenched his teeth, his blood pressure rising, because just the thought of Frankenstein made him intolerably angry. If it was not about a human's weakness, then why had the Noblesse not chosen one of them as his companion?!

The plot had failed, in all its glory, and gone down in flames. The Noblesse had

come home alive and basically unhurt. Something that did not surprise him all that much. Because, obviously the reason they all loved and hated him, was because he was a god.

On the other hand, Urokai could not believe that the Noblesse, and the Lord, and Frankenstein, and the other clan leaders, were so stupid they would not be able to trace the threat back to its source. The worst possible outcome for them, as traitors, was that not only Raizel-nim, but the Werewolf Lord, had survived. According to Ragus, the real mastermind behind it all, had called upon him only two days previously to warn him to keep his mouth shut.

But Urokai knew that Ragus thirst for domination spared no one. He did not have friends. He had people he used. Urokai knew it only too well, because he had gone done and gotten himself shit deep in these plans, and ended up losing an eye.

Turning, Urokai stomped over to the chair by the hearth. His house was small, by comparison. And he was alone there. He had no kids to dote on; he would have liked to have one or two by now, but…in a way, he was afraid to have children. Bringing out another existence like himself, and passing on his soul to them when he 'stopped being', was morbid.

He was proud of his Soul Weapon.

He was also, deep down inside him, a little afraid of it. Entrusting his entire being to a weapon, was awkward. He did not know how to put that into words. He wanted to be stronger! So strong, he no longer had to think complicated things. His head hurt when he tried to quantify it, and that made him grumpy and hot-headed.

He had gotten used to pain, though. He was in pain every minute of every day now. Although, he had only himself to blame for that, he could not help but want to throw curses onto the one who had caused it. Losing an eye was not all that easy to pass off, even for a Noble. And, not just because of the loss of vision, or the pain, but because it marked his face. Urokai did not consider himself a rare beauty, but he had been moderately protective of his face; he thought that was only normal.

Unfortunately, the wound was not a normal one. He sealed the cavity with a special eyepatch, but he knew that was not going to work forever. Sometimes, it felt like something was crawling around in there. Ordinarily, they would have been able to fit him with a glass eye, to avoid a collapse of the structure of the socket, which could reshape that side of his face. He could not do that, though; he had once, while feeling at the empty socket, ended up putting his finger under the eyelid. There was nothing in there, anymore, but…when he had panicked from the shock of realizing it was empty there, and pulled his finger back out, that 'nothingness' had followed after it.

It was festering or growing in there. Sometimes, he had bad dreams, too, which he could never remember upon waking. Just a lingering sense of doom.

The other problem, was that he was thirsty. In a way that no Noble should have been. His fangs had always been pronounced, but now they were long enough to touch his lower lip. He ached all over. As an experiment, he had once tasted the blood of a human; just a little, to find out what all the fuss was about. He thought that it was pretty disgusting, actually, but he could not deny that blood was delicious.

Heaving a sigh, not wanting to go to the Lord's Assembly, which he had to do, Urokai hugged his knee, his foot hooked on the edge of his chair, and chewed a strand of hair poking him in the face. He had let it grow, but when he sat like this, the ends poked him all over.

"I feel like shit!" He howled, loudly, raving his fists in the air.

A knock at the door distracted him. Ragus had told him to hold-up indoors and keep his mouth shut during the assembly the following day. Like he would just arbitrarily blab the whole thing?! Another knock came, making him jump, and he moved to the door with a nasty expression on his face. Who the hell was bothering him now, on the eve of such an important day?

"Oh, Ragar." He muttered, upon seeing his guest. "Don't you ever get tired of having your face covered up like that? It's sweltering hot."

"I thought it would be prudent to pay call upon you, as you have been isolated here after that time." Ragar said, as he moved into the foyer. "Urokai, it is not that hot tonight. In fact, it is quite pleasant."

Frowning, not sure how to take that statement, Urokai shrugged. "So, it's just me? Wonderful." Moving back to his parlour, he fished out a canister of tealeaves and managed to brew them. Setting the cup before Ragar, he thought about this person. They had basically grown up together, but it was somehow hard for Urokai to remember the distant past. Just a lingering feeling of release and comfort, because his parents had been the ones to handle everything. They were gone, now, though. "So! How's the family?"

"Hm. They are fine." Ragar replied, having lowered the cloth from his nose and mouth to sip the tea. "Km. Actually, the Lord asked me to come here."

Brows twitching, Urokai swallowed. "Is there something specific? If the Lord wishes to speak to me, then I would go at once." Well, unless it was his execution they were talking about…he did not think that was the case, though.

"The Lord was concerned that perhaps you were still unfit to participate in the Assembly. There is some reason for which he wants all the Clan Leaders to be present. Of course, this is the Lord we are speaking of." He paused there, then dipped his head. "How much he actually sees, I cannot imagine. What is certain, is that the Noblesse will be present this time. That has not happened in many centuries, as you are aware. So, I think that has bearing on why the Lord is sending me to check up on people."

Impressed, Urokai rubbed the back of his neck. He was aware that there were two paths before him. Neither was 'good'. Some part of him, wanted to run. But another part of him, a greater part of him, was tired of being in pain. He was sick of putting up with Ragus' crap, too. The Lord's Assembly would undoubtedly drag out the worst and best of the Clan Leaders, and if that was not something he could avoid, then…it would be far more bitter to be on the worst half.

Gritting his teeth, nervous, Urokai looked at Ragar. "How…is the Noblesse?" He asked, despite himself. Even though he did not want to be near that being at the moment, since he would probably eradicate them all, he still really, really liked Raizel-nim.

Ragar frowned a little, looking at him. "Have you not visited him?" He asked, softly. "You had isolated yourself here, but it was our understanding that you still visited him from time to time. You and Roctus and Edian."

Startled, Urokai blinked. Leaning his chin on his hand, he felt a little moody and smug now. "Did Ragus say that?" He asked, bluntly. "Oh? Really. I haven't left my house in the last few years. I told the Lord I would take a retreat, and I did. I don't like Frankenstein, and there is no reason for me to further disgrace myself in front of the Noblesse. At the very least, I'm not a masochist."

There was a long pause, before Ragar spoke again. He looked very out of place in the parlour, dressed as he was. But, his expression was somewhat more troubled. "Why would Ragus say this, if it is not so?"

"Why does Ragus do anything?" Urokai wondered, looking away. "You'd have to ask him, if you really need to know. I suppose we'll find out tomorrow, though. Just what the hell is going on." He put a hand to his temple, rubbing at it absently. His head hurt! He did not know if it was just stress or what, but he was tired and… he wanted to bite someone!

Thinking it over, Urokai studied Ragar. The Lord had sent him over? That was suspicious in and of itself. Practically speaking, if he was going to jump ship, he needed to do it before the Lord's Assembly. But, that would likely result in a heavy sentence, if not death. He was just waiting around to go insane, though, and if he had to pick and depend on anyone's mercy, he would definitely pick The Lord.

He did not want to turn into some drug-puppet or a corpse-demon, and he had a very good understanding of just what Ragus was fucking around with when he went and 'played' with humans. That, also, was a consequence of Frankenstein's arrival, though. Because Frankenstein was too powerful for a human, and that had made Ragus jealous in a completely different way from himself or Roctus.

Shuddering, Urokai abruptly stood up. He moved to the mantel, looking at the mirror. His face was not his own anymore. When had he gotten to be so ugly? He touched the eyepatch, wondering just how bad it actually was underneath, but he lacked the resolve to removed it.

"Urokai?" Ragar asked, frowning at him. He also gained his feet. "You seem quite agitated, although there is no need."

Leaning on the mantel, chuckling, Urokai really did think that was funny. Of course, Ragar did not know anything about his inner dialogue, so it was a normal statement in his mind. Turning, slowly, Urokai felt tears running from his good eye. He was in pain, and he was tired, and he was jaded. He did not want to go to the Lord's Assembly! But, he was also getting to where he did not want to be alone when everything fell apart.

"Ragar…" He said, softly. "…I would like to visit the Lord privately. Before tomorrow. There is something I need to do." He leaned back a little. "Will you take me there?"

"Take you there?" Ragar asked, softly. "You can come or go at your own discretion, Urokai. For although you have imposed this limitation upon yourself, no punishment was set upon you by the Lord."

Smiling, Urokai shook his head. "I know that." He replied. Feeling a little unstable, and unable to regulate his temperature, he gritted his teeth. "I will presume that you, at least, know how to keep your mouth shut. I would like you to escort me to the Lord, because I'm sure I'd be attacked along the way. I've been warned off of speaking to the Lord, you see. Or anyone else, for that matter; but you came on your own…no, you came because the Lord told you to." He lifted a hand. "I think that is because the Lord knows more than he lets on."

Ragar's eyes flashed. "I will escort you to the Lord, in that case. However, this is Lukedonia. Who would dare to attack a Clan Leader?"

Laughing, Urokai smiled at his friend. "You really haven't got a malicious bone in your body, do you? I can't even imagine what you think about the world." Wiping his face free of tears, Urokai smirked a little. "I'm not that righteous. I'm…" He looked away, his hands clenching. "…a traitor."


	7. Confession

The Lord was aware that something unprecedented was happening. Lately, he had grown to feel that there was a rift forming in the communication between nobles. For the most part, they had just always done their own thing…which was fine, up until a certain point. However, because of that lack of communication, he did not actually know anything about them. Not their true selves, their dreams and ambitions; they had them, certainly. Not just hobbies to pass the time with, but true goals to aspire after and work toward. All living things needed that 'light of hope', in order to make time palatable.

Otherwise, eternity would become a burden and they would eventually go insane.

He had always had his wit to fall back on. Despite Gejutel's nagging, he liked to keep things light and airy. There was no need to be serious all the time, and that grave decorum that had seemingly become a 'rule', was not a noble's true dignity. Had they really lost their ability to laugh gayly and play? To just cast off that rigidity and act like idiots from time to time? He thought that, sadly, the noble race was becoming boring.

He had one goal, and he did not care how long it took him to accomplish it. He wanted to have all the nobles around him, laughing and chatting; he wanted to see them so exciting about something, so distracted and happy, that they forgot all about their self-imposed 'dignity'. Of course, a huge amount of his mind was taken up with worry over his child; he had a daughter, and she was a very serious type of person, very much like her mother. He did not have that, but he respected that she liked quiet and routine. On the other hand, if she never left her house, then she would eventually be entirely unable to communicate with even her own kind, and he wanted more for her than that. This was why, from time to time, he would ask her to go on 'missions' for him…

Lately, he had begun to worry that she was actually not thinking about him like a father at all, though, and only as the Lord. Did most children say; 'I hear and obey' to their own fathers? He did not think so. He was the Lord, and he did not mind it that she maintained those protocols, but…it was also very lonely, hearing her say that.

"It may be time for me to start thinking about stepping aside." The Lord said to himself, softly, as he looked over the messy parlour he was in. His private living quarters were messy. He liked clutter about him. Because, the throne room, where he spent far too much of his time as it was, was an empty stone room. There were no pictures on the walls. There was nothing to really look at. The stone chair was damn uncomfortable, too. Were they trying to ruin his butt as well as his mind?!

He had talked things over the Ragar, before the Assembly; it was the night before and he was a tad nervous about dragging everything out into the open. Assuredly, feelings would be hurt, and there were going to be tedious things to talk about. He wanted to inform everyone at once that he was extending his hand of friendship to Muzaka, and his child. He could not even tolerate the idea of someone shooting his daughter with an arrow! To think that Ashly was only a young girl, not even to her Womaning, made him ready to whip out Ragnarok and go into battle just on the moral aspects of the issue.

There was Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, too. For the Noblesse to make a move, was very important. The Lord knew that that child should have died. Although half werewolf, if she had not awakened on her own, she should have passed into Eternal Sleep. Muzaka did not have the power to call people's minds back from that precipice, so, it only made sense that Raizel-nim had awakened the child.

That also explained his condition.

Letting out a sigh, the Lord was in the middle of stretching when he heard a turmoil at his door and turned quickly. He was never troubled while in his private quarters; he could not even remember the last time anything had been so urgent. So, he was truly astonished to have Ragar burst in on him.

In the next moment, The Lord had rushed to his side, because both Ragar and some other person, had collapsed upon the floor. Ragar was on one knee, panting somewhat, and there was blood running freely from his cheek, his shoulder, and his abdomen. The other person, whom The Lord realized the Urokai Agvain, was laying there sweating profusely and loosing copious amounts of blood.

"What on earth happened to you?!" The Lord asked, putting a hand on Ragar's shoulder. He could use a little of his Blood Field to circulate the blood inside another person's body. It was not precisely 'healing', but it could limit the flow of blood, or it could speed it up. In this case, Ragar's wounds were made to stop bleeding, and he let out a sigh of relief. "Ragar Kertia?!"

"I hear you Lord." He said, softly. "Urokai asked me to escort him to you, and I do think he is in a very bad way. I am not sure of the details, though. Only that he has been in a high fever since I arrived at his estate. Indeed, he believed he would be attacked if he attempted to come alone, so I journeyed with him. And we were attacked at a middle-distance tween here and his estate." He quickly gave the high points of the attack itself, but then moved on without a change in his tone or expression. "Their target was undoubtedly Urokai, Lord, and they wounded him in this way."

Having turned Urokai onto his back, the Lord could see for himself how terrible a condition the Clan Leader was in. Moving aside his clothes, the Lord looked at the wound. It had not healed even a little, as it should have. "What kind of weapon made this wound?" He asked, softly.

"I am not so certain it is the weapon, Lord, as he was in this condition from the beginning." Ragar said, having gained his feet now. "It appeared to me to be a soul weapon, but I confess, I was hard pressed to pay attention to him; if I did not know better myself, I would say I was fighting Gradeus. Indeed, had I not learned much on surprise attacks recently, I would have been more seriously injured by him."

"What?!" The Lord looked at him, frowning steeply. "Why would one Clan Leader attack another in earnest?"

"That is something only Urokai can tell you, Lord." Ragar replied, closing his eyes. "We…may have neglected him more than we ought. As you know, Urokai is alone now. And, if I am correct, it is likely due to his eyes that he is this way."

"His eye?" The Lord frowned, but comprehending had already come to him. Looking at Urokai, who was young enough to be a child to him, the Lord put a hand over the eyepatch he wore. Certainly, it was sealing something. He could feel some 'thing' slithering around in there, seeking an outlet, and this had to be extremely exhausting and painful. It also did not need to be said on what precisely that power was, or where it had come from. "This is very grave." The Lord took a deep breath and let it out, moving his hand to Urokai's chest area; he gently eased the flow of blood to a stop, and bound the wound to his abdomen. Even with this, it was not mending itself. "His regeneration has been affected. He had told me that he had decided to reform himself, and I was pleased, for I thought he had seen for himself how near to a fall he was. Even I failed to see the severity of his wounds."

Because it was likely another Clan Leader had been involved in the attack on Urokai, the Lord did not summon any of the servants. Instead, together with Ragar, he tended to Urokai and put him to bed there in his own quarters. They sat next to the bed, watching over him as he struggled against his fever. When he woke, he was clearly groggy and disoriented. Which degenerated into depression and even despair. "Ragar…" He said, softly, as if he could not even muster up the energy to be frightened or sad any longer. "Lord."

Worried about him, the Lord looked down. "It seems you have something to say to me. I will hear all of it, Urokai. So please rest your mind against that, at the very least, I will not turn a deaf ear or a blind eye upon you." He sighed a little, rubbing his face.

"I…betrayed you." Urokai said. It was a statement with no emotional attachment in it. "Not just me, though. There are others. They probably already left, though." Urokai replied, in a hoarse tone. "I made my bed and I'll lie it in. I don't even remember precisely how it started. Well, Ragus came up with a plan…and we, there are six of us, decided to follow along. It failed though." He shut his eye, swallowing thickly. "To murder the Noblesse."

Ragar actually blanched. "How…how…can you…say it like that?!" He asked, in an undertone. He was mortified, of course. For him, who had often taken the time to chat with Urokai, it must have seemed all the worse.

A foggy red eye moved toward him, and Urokai chuckled. "Right? It's ridiculous. Just the thought inspires outrage and disgust. I… _always_ admired Raizel-nim. Not that he ever stirred a step for our sakes; no, he only cares about humans. And I'm not sure he even thinks. He just stands there. He did at least drink the tea we brought him, but I'm pretty sure that was only to make us hurry up and leave as quickly as possible." He sighed. "Why does the Noblesse exist in the first place? I don't know. And, actually, I don't care. But, I do care about my own life." He gritted his teeth. "If you think about it, it's easy to see what happened. Wouldn't it just be easier to do away with him?"

"Why?" The Lord asked, trying to control himself. He knew Urokai was in pain, and he seemed to have some mental affects as well. Nevertheless, his words were hard to hear. Normally, he would have smacked anyone who voiced such words, but in this instance, he felt that it was only right to lance the poison. "Speaking this way about such a revered person, it must speak to your heart even a little, Urokai; that murdering anyone is wrong."

"'Murdering anyone is wrong'." Urokai repeated. "But not if the one doing the murdering is the Noblesse, right? If I don't agree, and I don't want to obey, then what?" He fiddled with the coverlet over him, not speaking in a very passionate voice, but clearly and distinctly. "I think. I have a lot of things to think about. I'm not allowed to say that, though. Right now, I have a pretty good idea of the condition of my body. But that's something I walked myself into. I screwed up. I lost. And I'm bitter about it. But, that's just something that can happen in battle, right? That isn't the same as murder. And murder is always done in secret, plotted out, because it's 'wrong'. There isn't 'some other way'. To do it out in the open, all honest and what not, because that person is 'above the law' or 'stronger'. He can; the Noblesse can do it. If I just don't agree and the Noblesse passed judgement on me, isn't that murder?"

The Lord, astonished, actually sat back. This was far more complicated than he had expected. If it had been a moment of insanity, that would be one thing. And he knew that the nobles were changing. His values had not undergone any great evolution, in several thousand years. He was…the Lord. However, what he had just heard spoken out loud, was rejection. Rejection of those values. Rejection of their caste system. Rejection of the authority of the Lord and the Noblesse.

To ask that question, one had to first see the Lord and the Noblesse was superior. And then to point the figure of why they were superior. He could understand that, if unjust, their authority was frightening. Because as the Lord, he was stronger than all the Clan Leaders combined. Ragnarok alone was strong enough to split the world into two halves. How could anyone deny him or question him, when quaking in his shadow? But, he had never thought that his innate values, would be questioned right at the root of his authority.

What, or who, gave him the right to 'Lord' over others?

"Km. Well, it amounts to that for me, but there are other reasons." Urokai said, after a moment's still. "I did not drag my carcass all the way over here just to talk about that. Lord, I'm tired. And I've made up my mind to throw myself on what little mercy you'll give me, because I do not want to end up in one of Ragus' mixing bowls." He involuntarily shuddered. "It goes back to how I lost my eye. You can imagine how shocked we all were; a human did this to me? Really? Then, if a human is that strong, what would happen to a noble if you did the same thing to them?"

Frowning, the Lord thought about this. "I'm not sure I follow. You mean that, upon seeing Frankenstein's abilities, Ragus because enamoured of his power and wishes to steal it?"

"No. Why steal something you can just make for yourself?" Urokai asked, smiling a little. A nasty, bitter smile. "Not sure how he goes about it; I've been rusticating in my house for the last few years. He visits from time to time. But I _do_ know he's going to the human countries more and more often. And I _do_ know that those countries have huge numbers of casualties; wars, epidemics, that kind of thing. He was always interested in that kind of thing, but he found out about Frankenstein from the humans. Ragus gave me that pendant that set him off…" He coughed a little, breathing heavily. "…I got set up, you see? That was just testing him to see what would happen, and maybe, hopefully, give us a reason to kill him off."

Reeling, The Lord licked his lips. "Ragus…" He frowned, looking down at his hands. He had so much power, but at that moment, he felt very small and rather weak. "…km. Then, this recent incident was also through your collective efforts?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Ragus said that if the Noblesse fought hard enough, he would burn up his life force." Urokai whispered, dropping his voice. It seemed that, even though he was being adamant of his own part in things, he still felt enough guilt over it, to speak shyly and whisper when it came to those details. "And it worked, I mean, he did fight with the werewolf…but he came back. I heard from Ragus; he came to see me and told me to just keep my mouth shut. Hmpf, I can tell what he was thinking. Because I'm like this and all. That's not a warning, that's a threat."

Worried about him, as he grew rather too still, the Lord chewed his lip. The things that Urokai was saying, were not easily solved. Just forcing him into Eternal Sleep, would not right the wrong. And, Urokai himself did not seem to be aware of just where he had gone wrong. Punishing someone without allowing them to fully comprehend their own wrong-doing, was not wise or just. It only prevented them from further humiliating themselves…and causing any further casualties.

"Even though you are in so much pain, you did not ask for help even once?" The Lord asked, looking at Urokai as he tried to hide it. He felt old and tired now, and he took a deep breath. "You know, Urokai, these rules and edicts are there for a good reason; however, I have never said that you Clan Leaders are not allowed to speak. If you have come to believe that silence is mandatory, or that I will not even consider your perspective, then that is a sad fate indeed. As Lord, I do rule the noble race, but I, myself, am just a single entity. It may shock you to hear this, but I am also imperfect. That is also true of the Noblesse, naturally. No matter what, I am the highest in authority, and the Noblesse is the strongest. That being said, I think that you present a new condition for us, and this is because you have learned to question authority."

Ragar shifted somewhat, looking at him in awe. "Lord, do you mean to say that you will not punish Urokai for his transgression?"

"Well, I think that something needs to be done!" The Lord said, with a gestured. "Look at the state he is in?! And through whose fault and mismanagement? Mine. It is my fault. I am the Lord, and I should have seen this coming. So, that is my mistake. The Clan Leaders are not there to act as my servants, Ragar. You, Gejutel, Urokai, and even Ragus…all of you are, essentially, exist so that I do not have to try to run thirteen families at the same time." Folding his arms, the Lord sat back, sucking his front teeth. "All this, it boils down to a lack of communication, in the end."

Urokai coughed, but it might have been a laugh.

"As for treason…" The Lord said, looking at Urokai. "…I will impose mandatory treatment onto you, Urokai. As well as placing a guard over you, until you can fight back. I will also place a proper seal over you; you cannot bring out your Soul Weapon right now." He shook his head. "Those are the restraints you have earned, and no because you have questioned me or my authority, but because you did not speak to me about these matters when you had the chance."

Urokai's unruined eye was very wide. The bitter expression on his face had smoothed out, and his lip trembled a little. He seemed younger. "How…" He started, tears welling up in his eye, and falling over his cheek. "…how is Raizel-nim?"

"He is tired, but not seriously harmed." The Lord replied, petting Urokai's arm. "You do like him, don't you? I like him too. If you would like, I will pass along a message to him."

"I…am relieved." Urokai said, through his crying. "That…he is…all right. Even though I plotted, and even though he never looked at me. At least he is all right."


	8. Lord's Assembly

Cadis did not ordinarily have such an active life. Therefore, most buildings looked the same to him. As he used up his lifeforce, his sense of direction grew steadily worse, not because he did not have one, but because he found it difficult to relate to the world around him. He was aware that any great drain on his powers, would probably be the last time…and this made him a little sad, but also a little relieved.

He would no longer have to worry about the weight and responsibility, after he had gone to his Eternal Slumber.

Of course, there was Frankenstein. He did not know precisely how the parting would occur, but sometimes, he did think about how this man would handle it. He was an ageless, deathless human, and he had a strong attachment to life as a doctor. It was only right for him to mourn, when the time came. Still, Cadis did not want Frankenstein to go mad with it, either.

Walking leisurely beside him, was Muzaka. Cadis had never taken a walk like this, in the middle between two precious people. And perched on Muzaka's strong arm, was the girl. Ashlyn was still sleepy, but her wounds had healed. It was just a matter of her building up her strength slowly, slowly, over time, just like Muzaka must have.

Abruptly, Cadis stopped walking. What had Muzaka looked like as a child?! It was a very preoccupying mental image, although he did not know what to do with it. It was so ridiculous, and rather presumptuous, that he could not think about it and move his feet at the same time.

"Master?" Frankenstein asked, looking back at him in concern. "What is it?"

Not sure how to express himself, or that his thoughts had merely wandered, Cadis cast his attention to the side. Where there were trees beside them on the road. It was a spot he had come to rest in for a moment, and it was a nice area. About mid-way between his house and the palace, he thought…or maybe it was further along? He was not even looking at the forest, but rather, trying to see if he could pin-point where he was…he did not know.

And, of course, because he was just standing there someone attacked him. He did not even register the attack, until it had hit the ground next to him. His hair fluttered about him, and he turned his eyes to look at the person who had come out and tried to hit him.

What was happening in the world, he no longer knew. Who could possibly have predicted that on a bright, clear, sunny day, in the middle of Lukedonia, he of all people would be attacked? And who could possibly have known he, of all people, would be there, standing idly on the road, in the middle of Lukedonia? He did not understand the world, or fate, or why this crazy person had just thrown themselves into a losing battle.

Just because he was confused, and just because he had some directional issues, did not mean would allow anyone to injure him. Or Frankenstein. Or Muzaka. Or the child.

Frankenstein was fighting. Muzaka was guarding his daughter, and watching Frankenstein in surprise. Well, they had never actually sparred, so Muzaka was seeing this for the first time now. Even Cadis thought it was fairly amazing. On the other hand, it was not good to let him get carried away.

Letting out a sigh, thinking that he was going to lose yet another set of clothes, Cadis lifted a hand. But, he lowered it again, because Ragar lighted beside Frankenstein, and Gejutel appeared next to him. The Lord, himself, was standing next to and a little before Muzaka…there was no need for him to move forward now, as it was clearly not his fight.

He had not seen The Lord angry in quite some time. No one there moved, as the ripples spanned through the air. It was heavy. It was so very heavy, and frightening. The Lord walked forward, the aura around him making his tendrils of hair dance prettily. He was a handsome man, but at the moment, he looked more demonic than Frankenstein.

Ragnarok had been drawn.

The figure before them, swathed in all black, sank onto their knees. All that could really be seen of them was their eyes, and these were widened. Tears ran from them as they knelt there, astonished. Although undoubtedly a noble, this was hardly anyone special; not a Clan Leader. Frankenstein had been holding back the bulk of his powers to get information or just because he felt like it. But now, his antics only seemed cute, and beyond the whelp on the ground, sweat ran over Frankenstein's brow.

The Lord lifted his arm, and there was a something like a lack of sound. For a moment, all Cadis could hear was his own heartbeat. Then, after that, the sound barrier ruptured in a deafening boom. There was, before them, nothing left but a cavity in the ground…a few wisps of something like to light, but lighter and transparent, fluttered away in the backdraft.

Turning to The Lord, Cadis bowed to him. "Lord." He was a little curious. Normally, if a noble went astray, it was his duty to pass Judgement. Even if he would rather not. But it was clear that The Lord had felt the need to do it himself this time…and Cadis thought perhaps there was a specific reason, if Ragar and Gejutel were at his sides.

"Cadis Etrama Di Raizel-nim." The Lord turned, putting Ragnarok away for the moment. "Please stay as calm as possible. There has been a schism, and some Clan Leaders are targeting your life." He said it straight out, so that a moment passed before Frankenstein made a disagreeable noise. "Yes, I know." The Lord said, looking to him and including him. "And in this, our anger is perhaps equal. However, Frankenstein, it is on your account that I am here right now. And I merely saw this unfolding and took my ire out on that creature. For it is only up to here that, as Lord, I can hold back my hand." He frowned just a little. "It is not a request. Please come with me to the palace."

Frankenstein was shocked. He looked at Ragar, beside him, and his brows pinched. "Am I being taken into custody?" He asked, in a level tone, but warily.

The Clan Leader beside him turned to face him. "No." He said, firmly. "But it is better to do this correctly, since it has come to this."

Well, they had been going there anyway. Cadis looked up at the sky, wondering where his peaceful days of looking out the window had gone. Muzaka was beside him now, on the far side from Gejutel, looking at the Nobles with unease for Ashlyn's sake. Looking at them, and then at Frankenstain, Cadis sighed again.

As they moved at a much faster pace to the palace, Cadis thought about what was waiting for him. He had an idea about what was coming. He was not sure how Muzaka would react, but he was a little worried about Frankenstein. He trusted that the Lord would protect them, though, even if he was…even if he became…

The Lord's Assembly was normally attended by all the Clan Leaders. This time, however, there were only seven in attendance. Including Ragar and Gejutel.

That was all the explanation that Cadis needed, and without even minding who saw, he closed his eyes. He had not wanted it to be true. He had wanted to be wrong. His suspicions, and his doubts, and his regrets, all fused into one solid conviction. Now, he could not ignore it. He supposed he deserved it, though. Those chattering folk, who would pop in from time to time to talk to him; he had failed to strike up a conversation, and now the room was empty. They would not visit him anymore. Ragus. Roctus. Gradeus. Zarda. Urokai. Edian.

Edian.

Brows twitching, Cadis opened his eyes to look at The Lord. If that was the path before him, then he would walk forward. With regrets, with weight, with sadness; the bitter and painful things were his own. He did not like it. But that was why he was the Noblesse. Because, it was not something he enjoyed doing. How long he would walk, and when he would fall by the wayside, were things he could not know. He was not a god. But, as long as he had someone at his side worth protecting, as long as there was one human left in the world, he would not stop moving forward.

The Lord smiled at him, tenderly; that was acceptance.

Muzaka was nearby him, even with Ashlyn behind him protectively; that was friendship.

Frankenstein was ready to protect him and would aide him even when he became frail; that was loyalty.

"Lord." He said, softly. "Please tell me everything."

"Treason." Gejutel said, intoning it grievously. "To think that Clan Leaders have taken the wrong path, and in this most foul a way. Lord, what are your orders? Shall we go and apprehend them?"

The Lord, who had just finished explaining it all as he understood it, let out a sigh. "I am not clear about that." He looked over them all. "Ah, I shocked you with that comment. Well, I think what has happened, is that we all lost contact with each other. Too long ago to entirely reconcile now. And the question I, as The Lord, am faced with is; what is correct?"

"Correct?" Blerster asked, sweeping his blonde hair back as he turned the word over. "Do you mean 'the right thing to do', Lord?"

"Surprisingly accurate, Krasis. Yes, I do. What is the 'correct answer'? What is the 'right thing to do'? The six Clan Leaders are not necessarily working as a cohesive whole; they merely acted in each other's best interests. They seem to have individual goals and ideologies. And I should point out that, while they have gone astray, they have shown great passion and ingenuity in how they went about this." The Lord leaned back on his hips, still standing among them. "Right now, we are all speaking like this; how long as it been since this happened? How long since I have gotten to stand here, at your level, and not wear off my backside on that chair?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the throne. "That is, if I may say this, a direct consequence of their actions."

"Lord, although what you say is unquestionable, what does it mean?" Elenor spoke up, drawing attention to her. "If they have committed treason, then the 'right thing to do' is to capture them and…well, to punish them in some way. At least, that is how it seems to me." She shifted, looking a little uneasy as she said this; the concept of 'punishing' another Clan Leader was alien, and this spoke of how rarely it had happened.

"Hm." The Lord nodded to her, understanding her discomfort in voicing such words. "I am not really sure if I want to damage the world to do that, though. For instance, if they attack someone; that is an action that they must be held accountable for. However, if the simply wish to quit my company and leave Lukedonia, that asks of me, The Lord, to define my rights of authority. Do I have the right, just because I am the Lord, to deny them that freedom? None of you are my slaves, and I don't want you here if it's going to drive you insane! Definitely not." He shut his eyes for just a moment, letting out a weary sigh. "This is an impetus. A spark that could ignite revolution and change, which is not necessarily a terrible thing. Or, it could just turn into a melee with no rules and no clear-cut reason." He lifted a hand for emphasis. "There is a little more, however, and this is why I called the Lord's Assembly. As I stated, this involved not on us Nobles, but the Werewolves as well. I believe that if we can, we should attempt to meet with them; not as superiors or inferiors, but as people who share this world. They will have further conflict, which will involve humans, and that will involve us. I would like to find out where they stand, and why they did that, and if there is a chance to reconcile."

The Clan Leaders looked at each other, surprised and not a little uneasy. Some, understandably, cast looks toward Muzaka. He was leaning against a wall, far from them, but nearby enough to be involved. It was clear he was taking in every word. At his feet, the girl was seated with her knees drawn up. All they had were the clothes on their backs? It seemed preposterous to the highly domestic and home-loving Nobles, who collected baubles and knick-knacks to decorate with their houses; refinement was a show of their own elegance, which their way of showing their worth.

Muzaka also turned their attention to the Noblesse, of course, but not a single person there looked at him. Not one. They all looked down, merely thinking about him, and this was considerably worse than staring could ever have been.

The Lord clapped his hands sharply, causing them all to jump. "What I would like to do, is have meetings more regularly. Let me see; for now, we will convene once a month. Although this has happened, nothing has been declared; but we need to circulate all information as quickly as possible. Once this has been sorted out, we can probably leave off and have them two or three times a year." That was so frequent that they were all a little put out by it; they normally did not speak to each other unless there was some need, so a decade or longer could go by before the spoke. Of course, this was precisely why the Lord was making them convene, though, and no one thought it wise to question it if it was only attending a meeting once a month. "I think I will also start visiting all of you at your houses; oh, just whenever. It would seem that Ragus had been doing some nasty things at his house, and quite apart from where he lives or why he wants to live there, that is not something I will condone." He smiled at them all. "You all do not mind, right?"

Collectively, they bowed.

"Km. Before we stop, I am also going to try something new! Normally, this is where things stop. But, because I have been accused of, more or less, not paying enough attention, I will open the floor. Does anyone have anything you want to say or ask; no one will be punished for speaking during this time, even if you voice things thought unconventional." He looked around. "No concerned or anxieties?"

Gejutel shifted, and the Lord turned to him. "Ah, well…" Gejutel swallowed. "Lord, it is about…km…that matter? I thought that, given how it stands, most of us feel the same way. That is, about Urokai…"

Drawing his brows together, The Lord thought about this. He took a full five minutes to just think about it. "Yes, you are right to bring this up. I had thought to handle it privately, but, now I think I will inform everyone. And, this also allows me to handle that business which I had started before the Assembly began." He turned to them all, swallowing. "To put it very succinctly, Urokai Agvain is currently in my own Custody. This is because he had confessed to me and asked to be protected; he is also critically and gravely ill."

"Ill?!" Blerster asked, in dithering shock. "Well! I suppose running around and doing this and that can make a man cross, but did he get hurt?"

The Lord nodded. "Yes, he was injured. Which is why I must now call upon one who is present." He turned to Frankenstein. "I apologise for the wait. Now, I would like to talk to you a little about Dark Spear."

Frankenstein did not look surprised, by this point, and nodded.

"Thank you. Frankenstein, you have been in Lukedonia for not quite a century now. Until now, the majority of Clan Leaders have known nothing of this, as it is very rare for a human to come to Lukedonia. Especially one such as yourself." The Lord licked his lips. "But, if you are going to live here, then I would like to include you in the laws of Lukedonia. At the very least, I think that it is far wiser for the Clan Leaders, at least, to know about you than to be caught off guard later on."

The doctor nodded, seeming calm about it now. "You've basically just created a republic, then." He said, softly. "There are human countries that allow open assembly forums, even if there is a monarch that enforces laws and edicts. Up until now, you Nobles have lived in an autocracy, never questioning the authority of the Lord and the Noblesse." He lifted a hand. "So, to sum it up, if I live here, then I should play by those rules. That does not trouble me or insult me, actually, I am somewhat relieved to hear all this. More so because this involves my Master, and more than likely, none of the Six who have 'defected' are all that pleased about my residence in Lukedonia."

"Just so." The Lord nodded. "It is rather vulgar to put it this way, but I think that it is very likely your coming here has been a catalyst to us, Frankenstein. Humans always move time forward. However, I am mostly concerned with your Dark Spear, rather than where you live." Clearing his throat, The Lord took a deep breath. "As you had told Gejutel, and I saw for myself, your power is modelled after our Soul Weapons. Yet, it is not a Soul Weapon itself. Will you explain, only in brief, what it is."

He shifted, looking down. For a moment, it did not seem like he was going to reply. But, after looking at his Master…and over at the girl, too…he let out a sigh. "Dark Spear was created by binding human souls into a medium that can be contained in a host. However, it is quite different from your Soul Weapons, in that it does not work with its host. Instead, it seeks to devour the host. Even I cannot tell you precisely what it is made out or why it does that; some scant number of people can be a host to it, but so far, only I have been able to contain it for longer than a few moments. Indeed, I have had Dark Speak residing here with me, for some time now." He looked around at them all. "What I understand of Soul Weapons, is that are a type of arte; the materialization of a compotent of the former Clan Leader. For instance, the 'soul', or quite possibly the 'heart' or 'consciousness' component." He looked to the side. "Dark Speak encompasses the 'grudge' and 'sorrow' that humans feel toward death."

Wincing, The Lord swallowed. Even for him, that was morbid. It was such a harsh thing, with no redeeming feature or quality. Yet, what he realized, was that Frankenstein himself held that capability. It was amazing, and it made him aware yet again, that Frankenstein was worthy of their respect.

"I should think that, with the way you've brought this out, that you have a reason to ask about it." Frankenstein commented, knowingly. "I have not called on Dark Spear since I fought with Urokai, so it has something to do with him…what happened?"

"It is his eye." The Lord said, levelly. "It would see that his eye was 'devoured'. This is so unusual, and even I could not remove the 'power' that is afflicting him. I could only seal it." He lifted a hand. "Is there a way to cure this type of injury."

The doctor sighed, wearily, and looked very put upon. "I would have to see it for myself in order to answer that." He replied, firmly. "However, Dark Spear itself is here, with me. If Urokai was being eaten by that Crazy Bastard, you'd know it." He rolled his eyes, then lifted a hand. "However, I…more or less…studied quite a lot of alchemy and whatnot, so if he's got something in there then I might be able to pull it out. At the very least, if it is caused by Dark Spear, it should return to me if I call for it."

"Why is that?" Elenor asked, somewhat harshly. "This disgusting weapon, you said it seeks to devour everything. Then why would it come back to you instead of continuing to devour Urokai?"

Frankenstein turned, the light glinting in his blue eyes and making them look unnaturally teal for a moment. He had a nasty grin. "Between me and Urokai, who do you think is the better host?" He lifted a hand. "Urokai is a Noble, just like you. He has a Soul Weapon, too, just like you. He's not a human. He does not have the same components. This rage is something that only a human can feel. And Dark Spear is human…just like me."


	9. Darkling

Urukai lay upon a simple bed. To his surprise, he felt a little better now that the Lord had placed a proper Seal on him. His Soul Weapon would still come if his life was in peril. Yet, he did not want to do anything much. He lay there, somewhere between worlds, thinking that he was content to be imprisoned for a few centuries.

Something radical had happened; Ragus Tradio had fled Lukedonia. Together with the others. Urukai knew that they would never forgive him, since he had first sided with them and then betrayed them. None of them had had an eye gouged out, though, nor were they being slowly consumed by some unknown something bad enough even the Lord couldn't pull it out.

He sensed them coming, and tried to put on a disgruntled expression, but he lost his grip on it when the door opened. There he was! There was the Noblesse, himself! He was so… _perfect_. Everything about him was so elegant. He had a very troubled, sad expression, too. It was the most alive Urukai had ever seen him. He moved forward, proudly, and stood there at the side of the bed; it was clear that he was not used to being so active, and he was a little awkward about it. Yet he had stirred a step and left his house for the sake of someone else. For the Werewolf Lord, Urukai thought, and possibly for the Lord…definitely not for them, though.

"Urukai." Cadis Etrama Di Raizel spoke! "It is good that you are all right."

Stunned, tears rising in his eye, Urukai felt his lip tremble. The Noblesse had just said his name, and not with disgust, but in a genuinely pleased tone. That, even though he was a traitor, it was good that he was alive. The Noblesse never lied, since he was at such a level that he did not need to. Urokai felt that, because he had little left to lose, he could just believe this person. He could not even think of anything to say to this person, and the angst of both loving someone very much, and fearing them, and resenting them, made his throat seal off anyway.

Beyond the Noblesse, there was another form. He had held himself back for this long, but now he came into the room and stood there at Raizel-nim's side. His blonde hair was usually loose, but now it was tied back and he was carrying a black case in one hand; his expression was troubled.

Irritated, Urukai gritted his teeth. He had too many things to say to Frankenstein, but he could not pick one above the rest, so it just came out as a noise. Which inspired no reaction from the human, something that was probably the most irksome thing about the man!

"You know, I'm aware of why you do not like me." Frankenstein abruptly snapped, heaving a sigh. "However, I think you've rather got the wrong idea about me. I _am_ a human. And I _am_ contracted to Raizel-nim. But if you have some problem with me personally, then that is about you and not about Raizel-nim." He had the audacity to say that. "So, for his sake, put up with it. In any case, right now, I am here as a doctor. Because regardless of what side you take, you are dying." He said it like that. "Which might give you some insight if you let it."

"Insight?" Urukai quipped. "So, the Lord asked you to come. Because of the eye that you ruined." He said it accusingly, while he could. "Is there even anything to do at this point? Ragus said there wasn't. He went to human countries, and he studied alchemy just like you. For a long time, actually. He said it was hopeless and gave me drugs."

"Yes, I've heard quite a bit about that." Frankenstein set the bag on a nearby table. From within, he took some simple instruments, laying them out on a cloth. "As you may know, Alchemy is the science of transmuting one thing into another. For instance, can gold really be produced from lead? To be honest, the answer to that is 'no'. Obviously." He rolled his eyes. "Mutation is not strictly speaking a bad thing. Werewolves are, from one point of view, a type of mutation. They mutate their bodies at will. So what Tradio is doing, is attempting to force humans and Nobles to mutate." He shrugged, looking over at his Master, then at the Lord…who was standing in the doorway and staying well back to give them space in the small room. "Well, I may sound offensive putting it this way, but that, by itself, is simply none of my business. Since, I, too, have experimented on humans and nobles; not to any great harm, though."

Urukai looked at the Lord, impressed that he was so calm about it. Testing it out, to see if he was yelled at, Urokai spoke; "He also mixes stuff, though. Turns people into puppets." He shuddered. "Seriously, it's kind of disgusting."

"Well, all medical knowledge is gained through trial and error," Frankenstein replied, blandly. "What I am curious about, is what the end goal is. Alchemy is one thing, but if he has no specific goal, for instance, enhancing strength, or lengthening the lifespan, or even turning lead into gold, then what he is actually doing, is not 'alchemy' but rather 'torture'."

Urokai blinked, looking at Frankenstein for a moment. "And you say you don't do that to people? Even though all the humans say you do?"

Frankenstein looked startled, now, and his somewhat brisk demeanour seemed to affect hurt rather than pique. "The experiments I carried out were to cure diseases, Urokai. Unfortunately, I can't save everyone." He turned away, his hair swishing. "As for my powers, if you must know, I have never used humans for that. All of my dangerous experiments were tested on myself."

The Lord's brows pinched a little, but he did not speak or fully enter the room. The Noblesse was unfazed, of course, and he must have known it all along. It was the reason that the Noblesse had chosen Frankenstein; simple, unassuming, lacking that great ambition that seemed to waft around Frankenstein like wings. He was that kind of human.

Feeling rather jaded, Urokai closed his eyes. It was more proof that he had been fed lies. He had needed someone to hate for his lot in life, because he could not bring himself to hate the Noblesse or the Lord. Resentment was different from hate. He respected them! And now, he understood better, why they respected Frankenstein.

He still didn't like the man, but that was fine. He didn't have to. He could simply 'stop caring', and it was a relief, he had to admit. Taking a deep breath, Urokai licked his parched lips; he was so thirsty it was making him dizzy. "What are you going to do?" He asked, softly.

"All medicine starts with the basics." Frankenstein turned back, his golden brows pinched. "I need to start by taking a look at the affected area. Well, I'll just put my hand over the seal to start out." He reached out, with just his gloved hand, and lightly lay his palm over the eyepatch. "There is definitely something moving around in there." He muttered, his frown becoming deeper. "Can you tell me when this began and how it progressed?"

"Well, you hit me with that black shard. It cut into my eye, but normally, we can heal that. By the time I got it looked at, though, my eye was shrivelled up. I was going to let it heal and then have a glass eye put in, but that black stuff is in there. It's sticky." He shuddered. "I can't say it hurt at first, but it would move around. Without the seal in place, I would have gone crazy."

"Urokai, I hate to rub salt in your wounds, but you essentially did 'go crazy'." Frankenstein leaned back, his arms folded. "You are not in a normal mental state, anyway. Agitation, restlessness, hostility, paranoia, moods of manic depression, fixation upon things that are otherwise of no consequence. Those are all signs that something is very wrong." He put a hand to his chin. "Do you have any other symptoms?"

"I can't control my temperature," Urokai admitted. "I don't eat much anymore, either, and I get dizzy. Lately, I've been blacking out, just for a few seconds. If I even manage to sleep, I have terrible dreams, but I can't remember them."

"Sounds like anaemia to me." Frankenstein had switched into full doctor mode, and wrote out every answer precisely on a notepad. "Hmm. Urukai, you're going to baulk, I'm certain, but may I have some blood? I would like to look at it."

"Huh?" Urukai looked at him, uncomprehending for a moment. "My _blood_?" He asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"Yes, I need to look at your blood. Oh, a thimbleful is enough." He gestured to the tools he had brought along. "It's a new toy I've rigged up. That thing that looks rather like a catapult, is what I use to examine molecules. Blood is comprised of cells, basically, which clump together in various ways. Even among humans, there are different blood types. Nobles are far more complex, but it follows the same basic model as all other red-blooded creatures on earth. You are hardly aliens." He shook his head. "I've examined Nobles before, so I already have a comparison."

Reeling, Urukai was so stunned he could not find a reason to say no. He was also a little curious. The idea of giving up blood did not really offend him. It was a very simple procedure, too, and required no extra drama. He was sat up with cushioned to support his back and head, which was treating him very gently for a traitor. Frankenstein took some time to look at the blood, smeared of a little glass plaque, before coming over.

"Urukai…" Frankenstein stood next to where the Noblesse had seated himself at the bedside. The Lord was still leaning on the doorpost. "Do you drink blood?" He asked it straight out, causing even the Lord to blanch slightly. "Human or Noble or even from animals?"

Startled, Urokai shrugged. "I tried it out. Why? I don't have a contract with anyone."

Frankenstein bit his lips, taking a deep breath. "First, I think curing you will be a simple process. Your diagnosis is not good, but you if you do what I prescribe, you will survive. I will call on the Lord to just put up with that process." He shrugged. "Since he requested that I examine you, and thereby gave his unspoken permission to treat you." He spoke flippantly on it. "This condition is not just caused by your eye. That is likely a result of a condition you have always had; and I make that distinction, Urokai, because it sets you apart and partially legitimizes your irrational behaviour. Only partially, though." He drew a chair over, to seat himself, and beckoned for the Lord to join them.

Once the Lord was seated, Frankenstein checked on him with a wary eye, and finding him fit to listen, nodded. "It may try your patience to listen to me, Urokai, but I assure you, this is also for my master and the Lord's benefit. I discovered this while I was investigating mutants. Mutants run rampant because they are mentally abnormal; but, what causes that? There is a bacillus in the blood of Nobles, which causes that mutation in humans. When a human gives their blood to a noble, that is a binding that, I believe, causes a telepathic link. When a Noble bites someone, though, the bacillus in their saliva is forcibly injected into the human, causing complex metabolic mutation…nine times out of ten, that 'pathetic creature' will devolve." He lifted a hand. "That bacillus is hyper-prevalent in you. I can see that your fangs are longer than most, and together with your other symptoms, I think that ninety percent of what is wrong with you, is that your blood is starving."

"I'm mutating? Into _that_?!" Urokai felt that, in that case, he would just kill himself and be done with it.

"Hm? Did I say that?" Frankenstein frowned at him. "I said that that component is hyper-prevalent. It means you naturally have more of it. If you bite a human, that human will mutate very quickly, so be careful about that. That bacillus is naturally occurring in you so you won't turn into anything. It's just that, because it's gotten a bit thick, your blood has nothing to eat; well, I guess to put it in extremely simplistic terms, your blood is watery." He lifted a hand. "So, you need more."

"And my eye?" Urokai asked, frowning at him.

"That, hm, I think you have a darkling in it." Frankenstein pursed his lips. "Darklings are, hm, well…a type of homunculus. They are created by blood or flesh and wrought with power. Dark Spear is not anything like that, it's more like an evil spirit. Darklings are organic in substance and normally hide inside one's clothes or a bottle…given that your eye socket was empty and your cornea damaged beyond repair, I think you ended up creating a darkling from your blood and flesh, which is living in there."

"Darkling? Homunculus?" Urukai frowned. "What is that?"

"Hmm. To be honest, I don't know." Frankenstein lifted a hand. "I call them that because there is no other name for them. Homunculus literally means 'little man'; the idea is that some miniature life form can be created and will take on 'that form'. They normally exist in some sealed environment like that. Humans only very rarely make them, but they can. Of course, anyone with an ounce of 'power' and some extra flesh can make one." Frankenstein licked his lips, his eyes lowering sadly. "Well, not me. You've never heard of this before, I take it? This is really very curious to me." He turned to the Lord. "Lord, do you know about this?"

"I have never seen anything like what is happening to Urukai." He replied, his arms folded.

"What _are_ Darklings, though?!" Urukai demanded, still not able to draw anything to mind. It felt strange, the idea that something like that could exist without his knowing about it.

"They are what you want them to be. If you want them to be a curse, they will become a curse. If you want them to be a pet, they will be a pet." Frankenstein shrugged. "I can't make one, I've tried. My energy devours but does not create. That is because Dark Spear is aware of its own existence." He gave a little sigh. "But you are a Noble, and you have a soul weapon. That excess Pranic energy should, by rights, be even greater than that of those vampires which are created with the same bacillus. Especially in your case, Urukai."

"Why Urukai in particular?" The Lord asked, quickly. "You suddenly start talking about vampires, but, those are mutants. Urukai has never made a contract with anyone."

Frankenstein sighed, heavily. "Will you please listen to what I am telling you? I spoke on this just a moment ago. There is this component that causes mutation." He looked over the ceiling. "It isn't like he's a Zombie. Scaring me like that, telling me Dark Spear was involved. This is basically a natural phenomenon, that, to be blunt, requires very little in the way of treatment. You just need some blood. And not by biting, either; this constant obsession with biting is why mutants happen! No, I did a transfusion between Muzaka and his daughter and their fine. Obviously, anyone with the same blood type can donate some blood!" He rolled his eyes again.

"I'm long over that." Urokai retorted. "But, in my eye right now, there is something like that?!" He put a hand to the empty socket, removing the eyepatch and seal, out of nervousness. If there was something like that in there, he wanted it out! "There was some kind of ethereal black thing that came out on my fingers."

The Lord gained his feet, his face becoming worried. "Urokai?!"

Pushing his first two fingers up under the sagging eyelid, Urokai felt at the 'emptiness' in there. As he pulled his fingers out again, some sticky black thing followed. It felt quite horrible, dragging it out, but he did not want it in there anymore! It was quite a bit thicker than last time, and it plopped onto the bedsheets, where it undulated and writhed about. It looked horrible, like some kind of insect, but it had no recognisable shape.

The Noblesse actually flinched a little, staring at him it. "It is calling out." He muttered. "Why are you afraid, Urokai? Did you not call for this many times? I cannot sense any evil intent. Only that there is some sense of loneliness surrounding it. As if it were an unwanted child."

Covering the empty eye socket, which now felt very cold, Urokai did not know what that meant. An unwanted child? No child of his would ever be unwanted. He would have liked to have some, anyway, although he hadn't. The thing produced stringy armatures, gripping at the cloth around it, and trying to crawl up his chest to return to the eye socket.

Grabbing it in his hand, he found that it was strangely warm and soft; it did not feel anywhere near as disgusting as it looked, and he could grip it in his hand tightly. "This is…" He muttered, breathlessly. "…my eye?"

"Well," Frankenstein turned to peel off his gloves. "It is yours anyway. What you do with that thing is up to you. It is…something you created."

Dumbfounded, Urokai felt his mood shift. Too many radical things had happened to him, but, it was not like he hated it. He felt a bit disgusted by it, but that was because it looked like something that should have been underwater…or left inside the body. His headache had improved a bit, but he felt incredibly weakened, and he decided to leave the 'thing' aside for the moment. "Well, give me a bottle or something." He muttered, absently. "I'm certainly not putting it back where it came from!"


	10. Regret

Cadis knew that Frankenstein was still stung by Urokai's insinuation. However, he also knew that it was something that could not be changed, and therefore, did not comment on it. Instead, he just let his presence be felt. Frankenstein was cleaning his philosophical instruments carefully and thoroughly; he had not minced his words with the Lord or the other Clan Leaders or Urokai. So now they knew the totality of Frankenstein's martyrdom and betrayal. He had turned away from the path of humans, calling all pain and bitterness to him, and at the same time, he was pointing in accusation at his own race, showing off all their sins. It was perhaps this which had sparked an interest in the Lord, but in Urokai, it had shown the weakness of the Nobles, and the true strength of Humans.

And Urokai was still trying to figure out what to do with the thing he had created, if anything; he had poured it into a bottle and covered it with a dark cloth to keep it from shifting about. Whatever it was, or would become later, at the moment it was unable to tolerate light and wished to constantly be in contact with Urokai. And Urokai had shown mercy to it to that extent, although he was unable to say what he felt toward it. It was too soon, after all. It was hard to love a formless, constantly shifting mass of blackness, but in fact, Urokai had not evidenced any great revulsion. Cadis did not feel it

Cadis did not feel it to be anything malign.

What was malign, was that come Clan Leaders were causing havoc. Now that they were known to be traitors, and in such a fiendish way, they were no longer concealing their evils. Yet, it tapped him and undoubtedly the Lord as well, that if Urokai had been so badly misguided, then what of the others? Were they running away in fear of being executed for their wrongdoing or their opinions?

He had not thought about it like that. That he was arrogant was only to be expected. He knew himself well enough at this point, that he could not deny he may have and may still execute them...and if he was going to do it, why did he need to make up reasons? But, he regretted his brother's death. It always came back down to that, and Cadis wondered why he had not listened just a little more. There was one thing, though, that he could not allow to happen. Urokai's statement, and all evidence, suggested that Ragus thirst for power was already abnormal; should the arte in his keeping fall into the wrong hands, there would be another large-scale calamity. Something far more brutal than the killing of a hundred thousand knights, something crueller than those knights marching on an unprotected city, and far more tragic than Urokai's lonely suffering.

He also felt that he was a burden to the Nobles. Although Frankenstein, and the Lord, and even Ragar and Urokai were offering him their respects…because he was there, they could not disregard him. Even Grejutel had bowed to him out of fear. Walking forward with his head up was different from imposing upon others. Just staying in his house had not worked at all! Even with him rarely showing his face, they had still been so caught up that they had fallen from grace! If that theme persisted, then his existence was no different from the Blood Stone!

"Frankenstein," Cadis stood up, making up his mind. "Will you come with me?"

Frankenstein turned to face him, having put his tools away, and nodded. "Where to, Master?" He asked, softly.

"There are a few things I would like to look at." He said, softly. "And there is someone whom I would like to visit."

Baffled as he was, Frankenstein followed after him, as he moved about the Lord's palace. He just looked at things of interest, that he found pretty. Even if he spent a few days doing this, it meant nothing. Nor did he feel lonely, because he had someone at his side. Frankenstein took the opportunity to also look around, since he also rarely left the house for leisure.

Finally, he returned to his house, though. Looking at it, Cadis could not say if he felt anything at all toward it. There was no anger, no resentment, no joy or hope. Just that it was big. He had always thought it was too big for one person. Running his eyes over the roof, Cadis frowned just a little. Some sentiment, from the far distant past, of children's voices and running freely without care came over him; he had not run in several thousand years. Now, he walked or moved at high speed, but just mindlessly running around had been lost to time.

Moving to the side of the house, where the monument was located, he looked at the many names carved upon it. The oldest ones were faded a bit. Frankenstein had not been here before, since it was rare for him to have any business on the lawns. He looked at the tablet of names and sensed at once that there were too many.

Reaching out, Cadis ran a finger over the very newest name there.

"Master?" He asked, very softly.

Turning, Cadis looked at him. "I have made you uneasy." He commented. "Frankenstein, you are also allowed to ask questions. It is only something that happened, though. I knew," He looked down, wondering if his brother was sleeping peacefully or not. "That they were involved in it."

Frankenstein blinked, and of course, he was surprised. "Did you hope for the best, Master?" He asked, softly. "Or perhaps consider it to be simpler than it was?"

"I did not think such things." He replied, openly. "Do you think me to be an honest person?" He shut his eyes. "They visited me, when the others were never that interested. Muzaka came too, out of curiosity, and because it was quiet. Away from everything he knew. Some distance between family is not incorrect." Looking at the stone, Cadis frowned. "He wished for answers, but, my ways were not for him. He could not use my methods."

"Master?" Frankenstein moved a little closer. "What happened to you?"

Relieved to be asked, realising that he had been waiting around for centuries to be asked about it, Cadis turned to look at him. "I, my brother, have slain." He said, shutting his eyes. "And I wish that I had not."

A lonely wind whistled over the memorial grounds, where all there was, was a stone tablet, and a hedgerow, and them.

"I slew him." Cadis reiterated, turning to the stone. "He had decided to pursue power and to rule over humans. Indeed, to destroy them. For they are a turbulent race that causes much harm to the world. To what extent, no one knows. Yet, that was his reason. So, I put him into Eternal Sleep. That was my right and my duty as the Noblesse. Never has anyone spoken his name since then, nor do they ask about it. There were many others with him, who felt that to be the correct way. However, I did not listen to their reasons or their motivations. Their ways were in discordance with my own, and with the laws of Lukedonia. It was," He frowned deeply, feeling as if he was about to be crushed. "For that reason alone."

A crunch of the gravel behind him came a few seconds before Frankenstein had taken hold of him by the shoulders. "You were wrong." He said, firmly. "There is no changing it or escaping from it, Master, for in plain terms, that was murder. I wasn't there and I cannot say there was another way. Master is the Noblesse, but you are not a god; of course, you cannot know everything. Sometimes, killing is something that has to happen. I have never seen you as perfect or in any way a supreme being." He loosened his grip, and slowly, he bowed his head. "I have also murdered. For reasons, I cannot even put into words, and I also regret. Master had never looked at me as The Devil," He took a deep breath. "So, I, in my turn, do not see you as God."

Turning, Cadis felt a little mentally unstable. He was a little cold. His feet hurt for some reason. There was also that terrible weight pressing him all over. He had resolved himself to carry it, but, just for a few minutes, he did something he had never done before. Moving closer, closer, until there was less than an inch between them, he leant against Frankenstein.

How sturdy his frame was, how he was a bit warm from moving around. There was a scent of soap from his clothes and he always had a little bit of a scent of medicine to him. A clean scent. There were the golden threads of his hair, which were wafting about apart from the main bulk, and these were glowing in the last light of day.

However, what really struck Cadis, was that Frankenstein lifted his arms. It was so instinctive. Nobles so rarely touched. And Werewolves seemed to touch rather too often. Humans were one of the few races, that just accepted that everyone needed to be held at some point. It was that genuine offer of support, of welcoming someone with open arms, that they worshipped in temples and sang songs about in their choirs.

The Nobles did not have that, though.

Relieved yet again, Cadis felt more grounded and in touch with the world around him. He had wondered himself, why he had chosen Frankenstein, but in reality, it had been the other way around. He had simply let a wounded man stay in his house until recovered, and he had needed someone to help take care of such a massive place. But, Frankenstein had not shrunk from his weight and had even offered himself up in a contract; to serve, to support, forever.

Leaning back, Cadis took a deep breath. There was blood caught in his lungs, but he ignored that, and looked at the tablet. "In the next few years, I will likely go into a deep hibernation." He said, deciding to speak more with Frankenstein in the time remaining. "For now, I would like a little peace and quiet, though."

"Of course, Master." Frankenstein nodded. "Since I have far too much time on my hands for a human, I would rather spend it in good company."

Turning to peek at him, Cadis nodded once. He moved toward the house, where he could hear Muzaka was getting restless. "Oh, and Frankenstein," He turned to look at his companion. "It would seem that Muzaka feels uncomfortable with the title of 'Master', so refer to him as 'Lord'."

"Oh, did that bother him? Very well." Frankenstein pursed his lips.

"Yes, he said so." Cadis looked up at the sky. "Something about male prostitutes in Rome." Looking at Frankenstein as he tripped over what appeared to be a remarkaby small pebble, Cadis smiled to himself, and headed on into the house.


End file.
